Next To You
by crazyartfreak
Summary: AU. They say time heals all wounds, but could love truly erase the scars? When the Boltons arrive in Albuquerque, Gabriella is thrust into a world she's never known, and she's left with a decision that can ultimately change her life forever. Warning: contains topics of abuse and violence.
1. Prologue: Alone

_"Please don't touch  
Please don't stop and stare  
Yes I thank you for your kindness  
But there's sadness in the air  
Please don't touch  
Cause it makes me jitter  
And although I lost my mind sir  
I think you lost yours quicker  
Please don't touch."_

**\- Please Don't Touch** by Polly Scattergood

* * *

_The shroud of fog continued to assault my senses. Every which way I turned, I only saw about a foot in front of me. As the stars settled into the night sky, I carefully stepped over the path of fallen tree branches and leaves; if I didn't quicken my pace, I was sure **he'd** find me. The crisp air of autumn clung to my sopping wet jacket, leaving me chilled to the bone. Shivering violently, my arms wrapped around my chest in a desperate attempt to conserve body heat. Before I could place my hands in front of me to break the fall, my foot caught a knot in a tree root and I crumpled to the ground. Pain flared in my right ankle, but I pushed that to back crevices of my mind to feel at a more convenient time. The pain gradually lessened to a deep ache, and I got back to my feet and began to run again._

_The fog cleared up a little; despite my dazed state, I noticed bright lights flashed at the edge of the forest. I stopped in my tracks, frozen; my breath caught in my throat. My panic thoughts echoed in my head: Were those car headlights? What if **he** found me? I swore my heart stopped as the light drew closer, and I peered at the sight before me. There were car headlights, but nonetheless, panic crawled across my skin like icy fingers. _

_Finally, the car slowed down to a stop a few feet in front of me and a man got out. As my eyes connected with the man's striking blue ones, my heartbeat surged forth in my chest and I gasped in relief. The man watched me warily as he appeared in front of me in a second; his arms embracing me tenderly as I broke down and cried into his chest. Whispering soft words, he picked me up into his arms, carried me to the car and buckled me in the passenger seat. We drove off together in silence, and I never felt more at home with him than I did then._

* * *

Startled, awaken by the alarm clock on the bedside table, I lifted myself up on weary arms so I was leaning against the headboard of the bed. The same dream that plagued many nights of restless sleep drifted away as soon as I tried to remember it. It always brought me to become so exhausted in the mornings, as if I really had ran a hundred miles in reality. But reality could be a bitch sometimes. Today was my first day as a Senior at East High. To say I was not excited _at all_ would have been an understatement. Since a few months ago, when _it_ happened, I'd dreaded the moment I'd experience the cruelty from _him_ once more.

And people claim high school's memorable.

Trembling slightly from the repercussions of the flashback that occurred, I stood and ignored the familiar feeling of panic. I would allow myself to feel that later, when I would be alone again, maybe while eating my lunch somewhere in the corner of the Chemistry lab. I hastily put on a pair of jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt, tugged a brush through my curls, and slipped on my sneakers. As soon as I was ready, I ran down the stairs and headed straight out the door. In order to avoid the Spanish Inquisition that was my mother, skipping breakfast became a part of my routine. I chose to no longer be the person I once was. Instead, I'd just accept the non-normality of ceasing to live, and just exist.

Once we moved to Albuquerque, my mother prohibited me from attending driver's education class. She said: "If you want to learn how to drive, then you get a damn job and pay for everything yourself. We don't need another car." That was the end of that discussion.

The fifteen minutes it took to walk to school didn't ease my restless mind. Once I reached school grounds, I passed by the crowd of students and spotted a few people who I used to consider my friends.

Riley Peterson chose to make my life hell. He had cold blue eyes, greasy, blond hair, and a long horse-like neck. He ruined my reputation and turned my friends against me. Riley stared at me with a cruel smirk on his face, instantly making me look down as I hurried by the crowd. He hurt me in the worst way possible; he crushed my innocence with the act of violence he committed against me.

When I finally reached my locker, my hands sought out the padlock on the handle. I turned the knob a few times, previously recalling the memorized combination, and the door opened with a squeak. A folded piece of paper fell out on the top shelf and I caught it mid-air. The disgusting note fueled my unadulterated hatred for Riley, the immature bastard. With my back against the locker, I slid down to the floor and then hugged my knees to my chest. Rocking myself back and forth was one of my coping mechanisms; if it helped delay the inevitable panic attack that'd surely seize me in minutes, then I didn't care if people stared

With bitterness, I remembered that my own mother didn't care about me anymore. After _it_ happened, she betrayed me when she believed the lies Riley told her. He'd claimed that I seduced him and we had consensual sex. Bullshit! I remembered everything about that night, no matter how hard I tried to forget. His presence was a constant reminder of the event.

In the daylight hours, the shadows of my past haunted me. As time passed, my wounds had healed, but the scars remained. Somehow, I knew, one day, someone would try to fix my damaged heart. During those moments of vulnerability, I didn't want to disappoint them; I'd still be afraid of being loved.

I, Gabriella Montez, am a survivor of rape.


	2. You Found Me

Next To You Chapter 2 – You Found Me

_"They try to get into your heads_

_But in the end_

_You're only as good as_

_The next worst thing that's coming_

_Everybody should start running"_

\- **The Next Worst Thing **by 78 violet

* * *

**August 13, 2007; 7:45 A.M (same as last chapter)**

A few students passed by me and snickered. Feeling self-conscious, I tugged the sleeves further down my arms. Then, I felt a weird sensation begin at my chest; a sort of tugging persisted at the center. A little freaked out by this, I hesitated to stand, but then the tugging increased. As soon as I was about to give in, it finally ceased all together. I sighed in relief, thinking it was over, but not before looking to my right and gasping.

"Oh my gosh!" A handsome, young man sat beside me, staring at me with an intense gaze. I scooted away from him and hastily wiped the tears from my face, morbidly embarrassed and a bit freaked out by his sudden appearance.

The man's estimated age was around eighteen; he looked so young. He gave me a look of concern and shock at my outburst, and I almost had the decency to laugh at the expression of his face, but instead I just stared dumbfounded at him. The stranger had wonderful, piercing blue eyes that looked into the window of my soul. They were partially aqua, and when I had moved away, I noticed the outer rims of the iris were flecked with shades of midnight blue. I realized that his eyes changed colors with his emotions. _Amazing._

As he flipped his chestnut brown hair out of his eyes, I noticed his strong, chiseled jaw were the most striking facial features of this guy. Damn it he was fine! Impossibly beautiful. Someone this attractive should not be allowed out in public, especially in a school. He'd stop traffic and cause commotions. I took this all in within a few seconds, and I continued to stare at him, mesmerized by the velvet folds in his voice when he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry. I just wondered if you needed some company."

"No thank you, I'm fine."

The stranger's eyes narrowed, as if accepting some sort of silent dare. "Clearly, you are not fine. Why are you crying?"

I shook my head and went to stand up, but his hand caught my wrist. The coolness of his skin shocked me, but the aftereffects of his skin temperature left a burning sensation, as if I were touching a hot flame, but hadn't yet felt the pain.

I sat back down and pulled my knees into my chest and the guy let go of my hand. "It's nothing, really. I'm just having a bad day." When I looked over at him, compassion and worry in his face struck my heart strings. I felt more at ease by his presence. I liked the sound of the idea that spun around in my head: I could get to know him better, and soon, maybe I could learn why he was so curious about me. The corners of my lips twitched as I fought back a smile.

"I'm Gabriella Montez. I'm usually not one for talking. Sorry, I was being emotional."

Something in the stranger's eyes made my heart beat faster - in a good way.

His hand met mine in a handshake as our eyes connected once again. "Troy Bolton. No need to apologize, by the way."

I finally genuinely smiled for the first time in months. "Usually, people ignore me, that's why I was surprised when I noticed you beside me."

Troy gave me a lopsided grin. "It's okay. I'm used to it, too."

I yearned to feel his gentle caress, but I resisted the urge to take his hand again. It suddenly occurred to me that he was probably a new student here, and my manners kicked in.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but are you new here? I've never seen you before."

Troy chuckled, and I realized it was the best sound I ever heard. "Yes, my family and I moved to Albuquerque just a few days ago. What about you?"

I shrugged my shoulders, feigning nonchalance, trying to appear casual as I replied. "My mother and I have been here for a while, but we kinda move around a lot." _No kidding, Sherlock._

"Same here." Troy subtly moved closer to me so our shoulders and hips touched. An electric current passed through our bodies, and the feeling brought butterflies to swarm in my stomach till I was almost deliciously delirious. We sat there, close together, in awkward silence. When the warning bell rang, Troy stood and outreached his hand so he could pull me up to my feet. Glad for an excuse to touch his hand again, I placed my small hand in his - and with excitement, realized our fingers fit perfectly - and he easily helped me up. All of the excitement and budding emotions disappeared when Riley passed by us and his cold gaze met mine. I barely noticed Troy's head snap up and glare at Riley. The expression on Riley's face said it all - a mixture of shock and confusion as he immediately turned his gaze to the floor. Priceless.

"Shall we go to class?" Troy's voice was like dripping honey, and my ears grew hot. I shyly nodded in reply and opened my locker, grabbed my books, and shut the door.

I turned around, only to be met with Troy standing right in front of me. "Here, let me help you. It'd be the polite thing to do."

Understanding what he meant, I surrendered the books into his arms, which he carried as if they weighed nothing. _Impossible._ I wondered if maybe Troy was different from the rest. His walk was elegant... so wonderful. And smugly, I thought to myself, there was no one like him. A gentleman was a rarity to find in a man nowadays. As Troy and I walked side-by-side to homeroom, I couldn't help but notice everyone stared at us. I shook off the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and hurried at a faster pace.

Once we reached the classroom, Troy stood to the side and opened the door for me. "Ladies first."

The heat flooded to my cheeks again as I stepped to the side and entered through the doorway. Why did he have this effect on me? Didn't he know my heart was racing?

Our homeroom teacher (what was her name? I looked down at my schedule to find her name. Oh, right. Ms. Darbus) sat in an ornate decorated chair in the front of the room. She looked at me and snapped her fingers, reaching for the slip of paper. Still shy, I handed her the pink slip and she signed it with flourish signature and gave it back to me. She spoke with authority, and her smile didn't ease my nervousness. "Welcome to East High, Miss Montez. You and Mr. Bolton can sit in the back of the room."

I rushed to my seat in the back row, grateful that I could escape from the awkward moment. Troy appeared by me within a few seconds, and sat down in the desk beside mine. He grabbed a hold of his desk and dragged it closer till our chairs touched. Flashing me a breathtaking grin, showing his ultra-white teeth, he reached down into his backpack and pulled out a binder. That was when it occurred to me that I forgot to bring my notebook, and I lightly tapped his shoulder. "Um, Troy?" My voice squeaked and I winced. I sounded pitiful.

But Troy didn't seem to mind and his dark blue eyes met mine under his dark lashes. "Yes?" I don't think he meant to look alluring.

I decided to meet his eyes with the same intensity he gave me before. "May I borrow a piece of paper? I forgot I left my notebook in my locker."

He shivered momentarily, hopefully I had the same effect on him, but he visibly relaxed and sent me a smile. "Sure." He tore the paper out of his notebook and placed it on my desk, still grinning.

I dug into my backpack, took out a pencil and started doodling, making sure my arm concealed most of the paper from his view.

_Troy + Gabriella = Forever!_

_Troy Bolton - The mysterious blue-eyed hottie._

_Wait a second!_ My subconscious screamed at me and I blushed furiously, quickly erasing every bit of evidence of my sappy rambling. I stole a glance to my left and thankfully, Troy was busy reading a book. I peered over to look at the cover. Troy didn't see anything… I hoped.

The bell signaled the start of class, and Ms. Darbus stood and shouted, "Alright, settle down, settle down!" The murmurs of the students in the room quieted and the teacher clapped her hands together. "I hope you all had a wonderful summer, but the holidays are over people!"

I shrank back in fear at the sharp tone of her voice and Troy sympathetically rubbed my back for comfort. I glanced over at him and smiled shyly. He nodded and then focused his attention back on the teacher, his hand still on my back. His soothing touch relaxed me quite a bit, but I couldn't calm down my pulse.

Ms. Darbus gathered a stack of stapled pages and handed them out to each of the students. "I have an assignment for you all. Since there are new students this year, I've decided that a project may help you get to know each other. For this time only, you can choose your partner, but don't make me regret it. If I see any inappropriate behavior, involving couples, per say, the consequences will be severe." Her gaze ultimately landed on Troy and me, and I frowned. We weren't a couple, didn't she know that? Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Troy shaking from silent laughter. He was obviously amused by this. As soon as Ms. Darbus removed her gaze from us, I sighed in relief.

I could tell this was going to be an interesting year. Oh joy.


	3. Tortured Souls

_"No light, no light In your bright blue eyes_

_I never knew daylight _

_Could be so violent ... _

_And I'd do anything_

_To make you stay _

_No light, no light (no light)_

_Tell me what you Want me to say"_

\- **No Light, No Light** by Florence + The Machine

* * *

**1 Week Later…**

Troy was the most interesting person I'd ever met, to the say the least. Whenever I spoke to him, it was as if he was captured with such curiosity. It totally blew me away by his reaction. Nobody really paid attention to me since I arrived in Albuquerque, which was nice, because I liked to blend in with the crowd. Don't get me wrong, I was an independent woman, but hell, I wasn't one to shake things up in this town. I was definitely not going to make the same mistake twice (my mom and I had to move from Oregon to New Mexico because of the horrible accident I caused.)

Troy and I calmly maneuvered our way through the line of students in the cafeteria. When we found an empty table across the room, I placed my tray down and went to sit in the chair, but Troy was there to pull my chair out for me. As soon as Troy sat down in the vacant space beside me, his eyes smoldered under the dark fringe of his eyelashes. My heart spluttered and raced ahead, and Troy chuckled quietly, as if he heard my pulse increasing. He couldn't hear that... could he?

Just then, I noticed he didn't have much food on his plate, and I nudged him in the ribs to get his attention. The slight movement hurt my elbow, but he seemed to notice right away.

"What?" Troy tilted his head to the side as he looked my way.

"You don't have an appetite?" I asked. I assumed men had a huge craving for all things protein and carbs. But instead of ordering the spaghetti off the school lunch menu, Troy only had a meager meal: an apple and a thermos full of... (I cautiously sniffed and leaned closer to smell what he had inside, but couldn't detect anything.)

I forked some spaghetti into my mouth, watching Troy sip on his drink. "You don't have booze in there, right?"

Troy nearly choked, but recovered quickly. "No, I'm not one to resort to alcohol, Gabriella."

Still curious, I peered over, but he slid the thermos away from my view. Maybe I shouldn't push my luck. Besides, why did I care what he was drinking? For all I knew, he was probably just chugging gallons of water.

"Are we still playing Twenty Questions?" I asked. Troy had suggested the game so we'd get to know each other better.

He nodded and swallowed another mouthful of whatever liquid sloshed in the thermos. "Yep. Your turn to ask, though."

"Hmm." I had the urge to roll my eyes at my obvious question. "What's your favorite color?"

"Red." Troy replied and turned to me. "You?"

I cleared my throat, not meeting his eyes. "Blue."

He gave me a half-smile. "Because of my eyes?"

My face burned. "Well, yes and no. I just always liked the color."

"Okay. I'll ask the next question: if you could be fluent in any language, what would it be?"

I tilted my head to the side. "I want to learn Spanish; I'm Latina and Hispanic, so why not speak one of the love languages?"

He looked thoughtful at my answer. "One of these days, I'll teach you... if you want."

"Yeah, that'd be great! Thanks!" I smiled at him encouragingly. Then, I caught Riley's twisted smirk as he watched me interact with Troy. Riley made an obscene sexual gesture with his fingers, and I visibly shuddered.

Troy saw where I was looking and growled lowly. I should've felt afraid of Troy; I should've ran away screaming my head off. Instead, I felt safe and protected whenever I was around him. I turned my gaze back on my food, forcing myself to eat as my appetite disappeared completely. The rest of the school day went by in a blur, and I wondered if I paid attention to the teachers at all. Troy had seemed to understand I didn't want to talk, and we had finished our Biology homework in silence during the last period.

As I stepped out of the school building, I instantly felt guilty for my reaction and my moodiness. Troy was very kind to me and I had treated him so disrespectfully. Just when I was about to walk back inside to make things right with him, Troy appeared in front of me.

"Hey," I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat that began to form.

"How are you doing?" He referred to the incident in the cafeteria.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's no big deal, he's just trying to get inside my head. I'm f-"

"Don't tell me you're fine." Troy interrupted and exhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry," I said, staring into his blue orbs. He brought my hand to his cool lips and kissed my knuckles.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Troy stated, letting my hand slip from his grasp. "However, what Riley did was inexcusable and extremely immature. Men should never disrespect women in any way whatsoever."

I smiled at him. "Well, thank you for standing up for me. It was kind of you to do so."

"You're welcome." He strode through the parking lot. "Now, shall I take you to your house?"

As soon as I caught up with him, he slowed his pace to a leisurely stride. "Troy, while I appreciate your concern of my well being, I don't want you to feel obligated to drive me home. I mean, wouldn't you rather be doing something else than hang out with me?"

At that point, he turned around to face me, stopping me momentarily. "First things first, Gabriella, it isn't safe for you to walk home by yourself. Second, I'd feel great remorse if anything happened to you while I allowed you to be unprotected. I don't trust that Riley kid." I flinched at the mention of my attacker's name, and Troy's gaze was full of mixed emotions. "And third, why would you think I'd be anywhere else than being here with you?"

Our eyes locked, and I silently asked permission, which he granted, and then I reached up to brush the hair out of his face.

"To answer your question, I guess it's because I'm used to being taken for granted. People don't associate themselves with a freaky math girl." I spoke so quietly I thought he wouldn't have heard me, but he acknowledged my statement with a sobering expression. He opened the passenger door for me and I climbed inside. The car's interior was exquisite, and the seats were very comfy. Troy reached the driver's side and put the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life, and we drove by several of our classmates on the sidewalk.

Luckily, I didn't see Riley amongst the crowd. I didn't think the principal would be too happy with a student running over another classmate after the first week of school.

Once we reached the highway, I started to make small talk to pass the time.

"What model is this?"

"An Audi A6. Since the dealership didn't have red, I had it custom painted."

"Wow, well, it's nice." I looked out the window as the scenery rolled by us in a green blur. I glanced over at the speedometer and saw the mark reach eighty and panicked. "Holy crap, Troy!"

"What?" Troy looked over at me worriedly, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.

"You're going twenty miles over the speed limit!" My hands gripped the seat arms, staring straight ahead at the road.

He sighed, slightly annoyed, and marginally slowed down to 65. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you." I lightly smacked his arm and my hand briefly stung. This only made Troy chuckle louder, but he looked my way to make sure I was alright. I nodded and he relaxed, relieved of the playful atmosphere.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," I crossed my arms and pouted, reveling in the cute boyish smile he sent me and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh please," he laughed, "I'm an expert driver. I can see just fine."

The rest of our conversation during the drive to my house was lighthearted. I was grateful that Troy didn't bring up the topic of my insecurity, and he promised he'd introduce me to the rest of his family soon; all who I was more than excited to meet. Since we met, I was a part of his world, whether he probably wanted to admit it or not. The feeling of Troy's hand was comfortable, but it also awakened senses inside me that I never thought I'd feel.

It was then when I realized my mother would be waiting for me at home since she got off from work earlier than usual. The truth behind her frequent absences caused me to grind my teeth together. I'd found out Maria received a promotion because she was having sex with her boss. Apparently, Troy noticed my sense of mood change and he gave me a questioning look, but I told him it was nothing to worry about.

He turned on the stereo and beautiful piano music filled the car. I instantly recognized the tune playing.

"_Beloved_ by Yiruma?"

Troy reached over to turn down the volume, but I caught his hand, smiling at him.

"No, it's okay. I like it."

He returned my smile and focused his attention back on the road. "It's one of my favorites."

"Mine too." I could clearly smell Troy's intoxicating scent. I couldn't identify the name of his cologne, but he still smelled so good!

If I were an addict, Troy Bolton was exactly my type of drug. I quietly inhaled his scent and put it into memory as a reminder of him in case he ever left. That thought alone made my heart ache. Thanks to Troy's insanely fast driving, we arrived at my house in ten minutes. As I opened the door, I grabbed my backpack, slung it over my shoulder, and stepped out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride, Troy. It was thoughtful of you." I blushed as his eyes changed to a bright blue, and his smile was contagious.

"No problem, Gabriella. Shall I pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow?"

I blinked and stood there staring at him like an idiot. Did he want to go on a date with me?

He saw the shock written across my face and he gently corrected me. "For school, Gabriella. Do you want me to pick you up to drive you to school?"

My cheeks flushed red as I looked down in embarrassment. "Yeah… sure," I muttered, not wanting to look him in the eyes for my stupid mistake. _Of course he wouldn't ask you out, Gabriella!_

Troy nodded before he took my hand and kissed my knuckles. "You are truly a lovely woman, Miss Montez. I'll see you later."

I nodded this time and desperately tried to hide the blush resulting from his eloquent words. "See you later, Troy." Forcing my legs to move, I reluctantly walked up the driveway to the house. Once I reached the steps, I turned around and watched Troy drive off down the road until his car disappeared over the hill.

Seeing him leave was one of the most painful times I'd ever remember. My heart in my chest clenched; the fear of never seeing him again was almost too much to bear. But I pushed all thoughts and feelings for him aside as I turned the knob and stepped through the door.

My mother walked into the hallway just as she ended a call from her cell phone. "Gabi, you're here early."

"Same goes for you, Mom." When she reached for a half-arsed hug, I stepped aside and went to go upstairs.

"Wait a minute! I need an explanation from you!" The sharp tone in her voice sent my heart rate to climb. Shoot! I forgot about the possibility of her seeing Troy through the curtains.

"Before you ask, he's just a friend. Nothing more." Unfortunately, I remarked glumly.

"Who is he?"

"Troy."

"Troy _who_?"

I finally snapped. All I wanted was to relax in my bedroom and get away from all the drama she'd created. "None of your damn business," I growled under my breath and started to walk up the stairs.

My mom caught my arm and tried to turn me around, but I shrugged off her grip, feeling uncomfortable. "Don't touch me!"

She appeared livid and raised her hand as if to slap me. "Don't you dare use that tone with me!"

"Whatever. You've never taken an interest in my life anyway."

"What did you say?!"

I ignored her and stalked to my bedroom, and slammed the door behind me. There was no way I would talk to her right now, so I worked on my English homework in order to distract me. But all too soon, in as little as a half-hour, I was finished, and then I spent the rest of my time reading _Little Women_ by Louisa May Alcott. When I got to the beginning of chapter two, I heard something tapping on the glass of my balcony door. I gulped loudly, grabbed the nearest thing I could reach, a baseball bat, and crept to the door. As I pulled back the curtains, I let out a quiet gasp as my eyes drank in the presence of a familiar (and my favorite) person.

Troy smiled at me and waved as I absentmindedly repeated the gesture, shocked that he had stopped by my house. My gaze followed every detail of the wife beater clinging to his toned chest and torso; my eyes trailed down to the waistband of his boxers peeking above the waistline of his khaki pants. To say that he was undeniably gorgeous was an understatement. Troy was inhumanly beautiful and yet so tempting and sexy. How could he provoke these feelings inside me all at once?

I was still staring at him and grinning like an idiot.

"Gabi," he whispered so as to not alert Maria there was an uninvited guest in the house, "May I come in?"

I nodded and opened the door, keeping my voice low as well. "Of course, you don't have to ask."

"Thank you." Troy stepped into my room and looked around, seeming to admire the pictures hanging on the walls. I closed the door and followed him, watching as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Is this you?" He asked, stopping in front of a picture of a younger me as a child on top of my father's shoulders.

"Yes," I smiled fondly as a memory replayed itself inside my head. "My father, Greg, and I were at a picnic at the park, and he had a friend of his take the picture for us."

Troy smiled down at me, "Where is he? If you don't mind, I'd like to meet him."

I shook my head, instantly remembering the emotions I had hid from everyone for so long. "You can't. He died a few months ago." The grief built up within me, but I forced myself to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry, Gabriella. I didn't mean to be rude." Hesitantly, he opened his arms and I walked into his embrace, allowing me to accept the only comfort he could give me at the moment.

"No, it's okay, Troy," I breathed, nuzzling my head into his shoulder, "you didn't know. It's not your fault."

After ten seconds, I stepped away from his tender hold and looked him in the eyes. "I… I have to tell you something."

Troy nodded and he sat down on the edge of my bed, and I sat down in the empty space beside him. "What I'm about to tell you… is dangerous for you to know."

He gave me a confused look, but patiently waited until I gathered my thoughts.

"Troy, I killed my father." I gasped out and couldn't fight back the tears now. The guilt and the pain of losing someone I'd loved crushed my soul. At times like these, when I felt alone, it was as if my heart was ripped in two. I looked over at Troy to see his reaction, and I knew I'd forever regret telling somebody my dark secret. He'd hate me and think I'm a serial killer.

But then, Troy surprised me; he wrapped his arms around me tightly and rocked me back and forth in his arms. I felt him shake his head as he hugged me fiercely, vowing to never let me go.

"Troy," I cried, "why are you doing this?" I tried to struggle out of his grip, but he wouldn't budge.

He continued to hold me, his voice sounding broken. "I believe you did not cause his death, Gabriella. I refuse to think for one second you could take someone's life."

I struggled again, and this time he let me pull away. "I… I didn't know what was going on. It happened so fast!"

My confidence surged from his gentle request. "Tell me what happened. I promise I won't breathe a word of this to anyone."

Briefly, the intensity of his dark blue eyes focused on mine distracted me. I sighed shakily and my gaze lowered to my lap. Here goes nothing. "My dad's birthday was April 1, and I decided to make him blueberry pancakes for breakfast. My mom walked into the kitchen and said she's running late to work, so naturally, I was pissed off at her cause she forgot her husband's birthday. Greg told me he had to go upstairs to get something. After I filled his plate with pancakes, he didn't return. Suddenly, the smoke alarms went off and I…" I choked as more tears poured down my face, the sobs tearing through my body.

"I found him unconscious on the bathroom floor as flames engulfed the room!" I let Troy hold me again as I confessed the horrible memory. "I don't know how the fire started, but I could smell the gasoline fumes."

Troy tried to calm me down, whispering in my ear, "it's not your fault, Gabi. It was an accident."

He finally allowed me to shrug out of his arms but my whole world tilted and I felt the blood drain from my face. Troy caught me before I collapsed on the floor. Very carefully, he gently laid me on the bed. "Are you alright?" He lied down beside me and rolled over to his side, reaching over and tracing his finger along my jaw. Of course, my heart quickened at his touch, and Troy instantly removed his hand away from my face.

"Gabriella, this stress isn't good for your health..."

I shook my head and regretted the sudden movement, still feeling dizzy. "No, I need to tell you something." I took his hand and placed it over my cheek again, feeling slightly excited from the rush of electricity that coursed through my veins.

Troy hesitated for a moment, and then continued where he left off, trailing his finger from along my jaw to down my collarbone, causing my breathing to become erratic.

"What do you need to tell me?" He asked, leaning over till I could almost taste his sweet breath. His finger danced along my skin, dipping into the hollow of my collarbone to the curve of my shoulder. I was almost rendered incapable of speaking coherent words.

"T-that I'm not good enough for you." I stuttered, closing my eyes again once his touch left my body again. Dang it. I yearned for more, but I resisted the urge to reach for him.

"Why would you assume that?" Troy's voice sounded tortured, as if the thought caused him pain.

My eyes flew open and I sat up again, feeling determined to get my point across. If I had to knock myself off of his pedestal, then so be it. "Troy, I'm broken beyond repair. You may not see it physically, but my heart has the scars to prove it."

His eyes shifted colors to a midnight blue and his nostrils flared. "Believe me when I say that you are beautiful - both inside and out. Nothing that has happened in the past can change that."

I mustered up the courage to grab his hand and place it over my sternum. Troy watched me with such fascination as the only sound we heard was my fast heartbeat.

"You hear that?" I whispered, smiling with tears in my eyes as he nodded. "You're the only one who can make me feel this way." Then, I turned over his palm and interlaced our fingers together. "I've never felt like this with someone before… not even before _it_ happened."

Troy narrowed his eyes at me, not knowing what I was hinting at. I sighed as new tears brimmed and threatened to fall down. He scooted closer and wiped a stray tear with the pad of his thumb. He was so patient with me, and a true gentleman.

The words should've been so easy to say, as I've rehearsed it over and over again in my head. The words should've tumbled out of my mouth, but my heart had been damaged too many times with every movement _he_ made. Even the breaths _he_ took couldn't disguise the evil residing in him.

My soul was laid bare for Troy that night. And I knew all along that this was the first baby step on the road to recovery.

It seemed I could trust Troy. He made me feel protected and safe; he didn't seem like a guy to spread rumors about my life. He couldn't even remotely compare to what the bastard did to me. Troy cradled me in his arms as he resumed to give me quiet encouragement. At last, I opened my mouth. It was now or never. "Riley raped me, Troy."

Silence enveloped the room except for the harsh, rapid breathing through Troy's nostrils. To say he was angry was definitely an understatement. No, Troy was beyond pissed. While he tried to gain control of his emotions, he stood and thrust his hands through his hair, and began to pace in front of the bed.

For a split second, he looked as if he was going to take his frustration out on me, but I told myself he would never do such a thing. His response caused a reaction I was unprepared for: lust. Suddenly, Troy's eyes deepened to nearly onyx black; he'd stopped and gawked at me. Just like that, the desire vanished as soon as I had felt it. Like snuffing out a candle's flame. Embarrassment and guilt over what I had felt pulled me under in waves. After what happened to me, I'd thought I'd never feel such strange emotions, especially when I just admitted of my broken past to him. But I trusted Troy wholeheartedly, and my heart was too naive to run away from him in order to protect myself. He broke down my walls and I let him inside my world.

"Gabriella," Troy appeared in front of me, taking my face in his hands, "what's wrong?"

I tried to look away, but couldn't. "I'm afraid you're disappointed in me."

"Why would you think that?" His eyes softened immediately.

"Because I'm stupid."

"You're not stupid. You're the most intelligent person I know."

Sighing, I gave up and told him the truth. "For a moment there, when you were angry, it provoked some _feelings_ that I've never felt before." I sincerely hoped he wouldn't want me to explain. It was already embarrassing enough confessing this to him.

Troy tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I…" I didn't know how to start, but I had to come out and say it. Besides, he asked for it. "I _wanted_ to make you mine."

I could imagine the wheels turning in his head. "You wanted me?" He repeated.

I nodded again. Finally, understanding shone in his eyes. Great, now he thought I was crazy. "Troy," I asked quietly, "are you mad at me?"

His head snapped up at the sound of my voice, and he fervently denied my claim. "No, of course not."

"Okay." I allowed his opinion to sink in. So, he wasn't angry, but I still felt nervous.

"Gabriella." Troy gently instructed me to look at him. When my eyes were on his, he gave me my favorite crooked grin. "I'm not angry. I'm just shocked that you would think of such things about me." His eyes sparkled in amusement, taunting me.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "Hey, you're handsome. What more can I say?"

He smirked and kissed my cheek, momentarily stunning me. "You're too cute. After all, I should've realized you are still a teenager."

"Aww, c'mon, Troy! I'm going to be eighteen and then I'm officially an adult."

"Legally a grown young woman, Gabriella." He reminded with a teasing tone. He was so going to pay for this.

"Well, mentally, you can act like a five year-old." I stuck my tongue out at him.

Troy stood up, looking offended, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Yes, you do!" I laughed, reaching over across my bed to grab my pillow. Troy realized what I was going to do and dodged my swing at his face. He grinned mischievously and crouched down.

"Troy, what are you doing?" I tried to anticipate his next move, but I couldn't stop him from tackling me on the bed to tickle me.

Troy's laughter was infectious; I giggled so much my sides started to hurt. In no time at all, he found my ultimate weak spot – my stomach – causing me to squeal in surprise. My strength was no match for Troy, though, and for some reason this didn't confuse me right then.

"Troy, stop!" I yelled breathlessly. Troy poked my belly button and I squirmed, smiling up at him. "I need to catch my breath."

He quietly chuckled and resisted to continue, hovering over me. Our positions at the moment weren't exactly awkward. In fact, I'd secretly wanted to be underneath him like this since I met him. Common sense told me I should escape, but I stayed right where I was, hypnotized by Troy's dark blue irises.

Much too soon for my liking, Troy cleared his throat, deeming this situation too uncomfortable, and rolled over onto his back beside me.

"Gabriella?"

I turned my head to look at him. "What?"

"Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head, carefully weighing the double meaning behind his choice of words. "No. I mean I didn't have any flashbacks. I'm fine."

_Fine. You're more than fine, Gabriella_. He may have tickled me, but his touch was still amazing. The goose bumps on my arms were proof that he affected me deeply not only physically, but emotionally, as well. For the first time in years, he made me feel alive. I finally felt like I could be myself around somebody, and not have to worry about being judged.

"Troy, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course, what is it that you want to know?"

I sighed. "Why does your skin feel so cold?"

He was quiet for several seconds, seeming to carefully think over his answer. Finally, he looked at me with wariness. "You should know something about me, but… I can't stay away from you."

I blinked in shock and waited for an explanation. "Then don't go."

"I won't, I promise." He allowed me to process this for a minute. "Gabriella?"

"Yes?"

"You should know how old I am."

"I don't understand." I replied.

Troy rolled over to his side, facing me, and propped himself up on his elbow. "Physically speaking, I'm forever frozen at nineteen years of age."

I nodded, suddenly scared about his next reaction. "You're not human... at least, I don't think you are. Your skin is cold, sometimes you speak as if you were from a different era. Depending on your emotions, your eyes change colors. What are you?"

Troy closed his eyes and when he opened them, his expression was full of pain. "I'm a vampire, Gabriella."

Adrenaline trickled in through my bloodstream, and I jerked my hand away from him. Where was that damn baseball bat? "Are you going to kill me?"

"I won't kill you. It would hurt me to cause you any pain."

I sighed in relief. "So, is this normal for a human and vampire to be in a relationship?" Carefully, I scooted closer and drew my knees up to my chest.

"No, but I want us to work, at least to try." Troy gauged my response and I leaned in, brushing my nose with his. My body heightened, my nerves were bundled up, as we almost closed the distance.

Troy gently pushed me away. "I'm sorry. I don't know if I can control myself, and I don't want to hurt you."

Although I felt hurt by his refusal, I nodded, "It's alright. Maybe someday, right?" I gave him an encouraging smile.

He held his breath and pressed his lips to my forehead. "That wasn't half bad, was it?"

I giggled quietly. "That felt nice, Mr. Bolton… so are we…"

"Together? I suppose so. Unless you're having second thoughts, already." The cheeky grin on his face caused me to smile even wider.

"Hey, I'm not leaving. As long as you're with me, we're good?"

"For forever, Gabriella."

Troy interlaced our hands together again and spoke quietly, "Gabriella, I was born on the eighteenth of October in 1917."

My eyes widened, but I shouldn't have been too surprised. "You're ninety years old?!"

"Yes –" But before he could finish his sentence, we heard the soft footfalls of my mom walking to my room.

"Crap! Maria's coming!" I quickly turned off the lamp on my bedside table and threw the covers over myself. I rolled over on my side to face the wall and relaxed my breathing, realizing Troy was not in sight. I closed my eyes as my door opened with a squeak as I heard my mom step into my room.

"Gabriella, are you awake?"

I let out a soft sigh, pretending to be in deep sleep.

After a few quiet seconds, she closed the door and walked away. I sat up and looked around, turning on the lamp on my bedside table. Troy revealed his hiding place as he stepped out of my closet and walked over to my bed.

"That was close." I whispered and scooted over to the other side of the mattress, patting the empty space beside me.

"No, I'm sorry, I can't." Troy shook his head and instead sat down on the edge of the bed. The gentleman like qualities broke through as he resisted.

I ran my hand through my hair and lied back down. "Please, Troy? I promise we don't have to spoon."

Hearing my joke, Troy chuckled but he did not oblige to my request. "Gabi…"

"I get it. It's okay." Feeling hurt by his refusal, I rolled over so I didn't have to see his face as a tear made its way down my cheek. I knew I shouldn't force him to do anything he didn't want to do. I curled into a fetal position.

At first, when I didn't hear his reply, I thought he had left. Then, I felt the weight shift in my bed and I turned over and offered him a weak smile.

Troy was overcome with sorrow as he took in the sight of my tear-stained face. "Gabriella, why are you crying?"

"Because," I said quietly, "I like to cuddle. I've never got to much as a child."

"Aw, Gabi, come here." There was wetness in Troy's eyes as opened his arms and let me crawl into his embrace. I rested my head in the crook of his neck, sighing contentedly.

"Troy?"

"Yes, love?" My heart skipped a beat at his endearing pet name for me.

"What were you going to say before Maria came in?"

I could hear the smile on his face as I felt him hug me tighter. "I was going to say that I was changed on the fourth of July."

"What happened?" I lowered my voice, not wanting Maria to check up on me again.

"Well," Troy started, slightly relaxing his hold on me, "In the heat of the summer in 1937, my father, mother, and I lived in a small house in Columbus, Ohio. I remember that my parents expected guests, and I didn't want to be stuck in the house the whole night. I snuck out through my bedroom window." His face grew somber, and I listened as he continued, "I know, it was foolish of me to go behind their backs, but at that time I didn't care. I felt like I needed some space, you know?"

As I nodded in reply, he held me closer to him, as if he was afraid of letting me go. "But, as I watched my parents interact with the rest of my family members, it would be the last time I'd see them alive."

I pulled away from his arms to look at him, sensing myself being drawn more and more to this young man.

"I met up with some friends to celebrate Independence Day on our own. We had saved up enough money during the Great Depression to buy a few fireworks." Troy's eyes glazed over for a second as he thought about the memory. "As I bent down to light a firework, I didn't realize the fuse was faulty and the next thing I knew, I heard a massive explosion. I felt myself flying through the air, then everything went black."

He looked like he was about to cry, but the tears wouldn't fall. "I woke up in intense pain, as if the flames from the firework engulfed my entire body." The sober look on Troy's face made my heart squeeze painfully in my chest.

"And when I looked around, a couple knelt over me, muttering things I couldn't understand. I'd thought, 'why are they talking about me burning?' But that was hardly the case. I understood I was dying, and it would only be a matter of minutes before my heart gave out from the blood loss." Troy sighed and pulled me closer as I nuzzled my head into his neck.

"The man then leaned over and told me he was going to change me. Before I could protest and ask him what he'd meant, he bit my neck. The pain was excruciating; nothing could compare to the feeling of having your insides and your skin peeling off in layers. It was as if I burned in acid."

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. "How long does the transformation last?"

He sighed and offered me a grim smile. "Vampires produce potent chemicals in their salivary glands. Jim refers to this as 'venom', because, similar to a poisonous snake's, it's toxic to the victim's cells. The change completes within twenty-four hours."

I suppressed the haunting image of Troy writhing in pain. "W-was the couple your adoptive parents?"

Troy gave me a quick smile, nodding at how quickly I caught on. "Yes. James and Melinda saved me and then took me into their care to start their way of life."

"What do you mean? Don't all vampires drink from humans?"

He tenderly rubbed my back, soothing me of my unspoken worries about him. "My family and I, we're different from the rest of the vampires in the world. We hunt animals instead of preying on humans."

Noticing my confused look, he continued, "Drinking the blood of animals is a much safer option than tracking down humans and draining them. If anybody suspected the victim's cause of death, we'd say they were attacked by a wild animal."

My curiosity piqued and I leaned in. "Do you have a scar?" Troy huffed and tilted his head to the side. I reached over to turn on my lamp again. The soft glow of light illuminated the expanse of our shared places in bed. Now that his neck was more exposed, my eyes grazed up and down, searching. Then, I found it: right there, nestled above his collarbone, were two, distinct puncture marks. The scar was particularly unique; anyone who dared to actually look would wonder if this man was shot twice close range, and a second bullet accompanied the first just an inch beside the other. Troy watched me, but otherwise seemed unaffected by my inspection.

Until I asked, I didn't realize I had traced over the scar, feeling the raised texture of each bullet-shaped mark under cautious fingers. "Do you have fangs?" Troy closed his eyes to concentrate for a brief second. He opened his mouth and let me peer in and spot his razor-sharp canines. Without thinking, I reached up to graze my finger across them, but he caught my hand.

"Oh, no you don't!" He warned and then released his grip.

Immediately, heat rushed to my face. "Sorry. May I ask you another question?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened to your birth family?"

"After World War II, I traveled alone to see my childhood home. Within an hour, I reached the place, and found it'd had burned to ashes. I learned that my father had went to go fight in the war overseas, and died from gunfire. My mother was stationed in Austria as a nurse, and the Germans bombed her campu

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Troy." Words wouldn't remove his pain, but he gave me a small smile.

"It's a fact of life, Gabriella. People are born, and then they die. Sometimes, others are taken away before we're ready to let them go."

I managed to offer him a watery smile in return. I yearned to comfort him, but I couldn't find anything else to say.

"Gabriella, a vampire's love is real. Once they find their mate, it's more than love at first sight. People may argue that such love does not exist; that experiencing the proverbial 'butterflies in your stomach' is all one would ever know. On the contrary, a vampire's entire being is forever altered by the person beside him or her, so much so that they'll do anything, be anything that that person needs. A vampire's basic instinct is to kill; to hunt their prey and sustain their body with blood. That part never fades, although with time, the blood lust is more tolerable to manage. However, with their mate, their sole desire is ingrained to protect, comfort, and love them. As long as they both shall live."

Several seconds passed as I processed this information. It was my choice to be his mate. My eyes pricked again with tears. "What happens when a vampire's mate dies?"

His voice cracked with emotion; his pained expression twisted the symbolical knife in my heart. "Vampires re-experience their death tenfold, and then are reduced to ash. But I refuse to allow that to happen. I can't imagine living without you."

I choked on a sob and lightly kissed his scar. "You won't lose me. Not now, not ever. I promise."

The moment I'd accepted to be his mate, his eyes lit up with new-found hope and courage. Subconsciously, the bond that tethered my soul to Troy's strengthened to impenetrable. He looked about ready to kiss me senseless, but instead, he held me closer to his chest and hummed a soft tune. _I know we've met each other last week, but I feel like I've known you forever._ I thought, suddenly startled as the bond - whatever this was - flared to life again. I was slightly uncomfortable at how strange and new my mind felt, so I tried to clear it away with another thought directed towards Troy. _I certainly don't mind being in your arms._

His echoing reply soothed my unease. _I couldn't agree more._

However, while he reassured my unspoken worries, he sounded distant, as if he stood on the edge of a cliff and his voice bounced on a canyon's walls back to him. It was difficult to decipher what he said until I shyly asked him to repeat it. I cringed._ How do I turn off the reverb effect? Your voice is echoing, and I think I'm going to get a headache._

_Wait a moment and it should pass... is it better? _Troy suggested.

_Yep. You're crystal clear now. This bond thing is weird, but I think I'm going to like it. It'll certainly be more convenient conversing silently while in class._

_We wouldn't get caught passing notes, then, huh? _He teased.

I rolled my eyes._ I can already tell you're going to be a bad influence on me. If my grade point average is below a 4.0, I'm blaming you._

_Too bad. _Troy's monotone voice made me snort._ You're stuck with me forever._

_You're distracting enough as it is, don't make our conversations distracting, too! _I said exasperated._ Ms. Darbus will kill us if she notices us making googly-eyes at each other and not paying attention to her!_

_Well, I'm glad my appearance amuses you to no end_. Troy said cooly.

I rubbed my hand over my face. _Not amusing, Troy - the key word is distracting. Meaning, I'd get lost in your stupidly blue eyes, your perfectly coifed hair, and hell, Troy, you have a sharp jaw that could cut a hand!_

_...Oh. _Was all he said.

_Oh?_

_Mmhmm. You'd better not be touching my face, then. Wouldn't want you to get your palm sliced open._ He said it so seriously, I wasn't sure whether to try to explain the metaphor, or slap him, but then the corners of his lips twitched in a barely-there smirk.

I stared at him in disbelief. _Was... was that your attempt at a joke?_

He nodded, seemingly pleased with himself.

I sighed, moving my head to rest on his chest. "Well, I don't know about you, Mr. Smarty Pants, but I'm going to get some shut-eye. Tomorrow, we have to start our project for Ms. Darbus and I don't want to fall asleep and get a detention." I whispered quietly, too tired to attempt to talk to him silently again.

He hesitated, then placed an arm on my waist. "I'll wake you up in the morning."

As his melodious voice lulled me to sleep, I felt content for the first time in a while. And I dreamed about how our future seemed so bright. It would be Troy and I, until the end of time.


	4. Unexpected Surprises

Next To You Chapter 4 – Unexpected Surprises

* * *

_"There is a ghost  
Deep in my throat_  
_Shoving it down_  
_Speak and you choke_  
_Somewhere between_  
_Dirty and clean_  
_The truth and the lie_  
_With dirt in my eyes_  
_Ohh dirt in my eyes..."_**  
\- Dirty and Clean **by Stephanie Schneiderman**  
**

* * *

I opened my eyes to the hypnotizing stare of Troy Bolton. Sighing deeply, I smiled as I unconsciously licked my lips. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, and the clock on the bedside table revealed it was 7:05.

"Good morning, beautiful," Troy whispered, and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

I giggled and sat up. "Good morning to you, too. You didn't have to stay here the whole night."

"It's alright. I don't mind it one bit. Besides, I'm with the most beautiful woman that's living and breathing on the earth right now."

"Aww, you're too sweet." Stretching my arms above my head, he took the opportunity to reach over and tickle my armpits, making me squeal and laugh. He let me escape and I started looking through my clothes in the chest of drawers.

"Shall I wait for you outside while you get dressed?"

I nodded, thanking him for being polite, and as soon as he left my room I got dressed and brushed my hair.

After I was ready, Troy and I drove to school (During the night, while I was still asleep, he left to go back to his house and change into new clothes and bring his car back. He said the short trip only took about ten minutes, since he didn't want me wondering where he was if I woke up.)

Being the gentleman, Troy held the door for me at East High's entrance and then we interlaced our fingers together. If someone told me that I'd be so in love with a man before yesterday, I would've laughed in their face. But Troy brought out the best in me. My heart practically burst every time I looked at him. It wouldn't have mattered if it were raining or the sun was shining, because no matter what, we knew we'd be all right.

And then, all of my mushy feelings and thoughts for Troy flew out the window as soon as I saw _his_ face. Riley leaned against the wall, trying to look casually cool, (but really he looked disgusting) as he puckered his lips and made kissing sounds at me as Troy and I passed by.

Troy growled out a warning, and I squeezed his hand in an effort to take his attention off from Riley. A shiver ran down my spine but I suppressed the memories that tried to emerge in my mind.

"Troy," I spoke with a shaky breath, "let's go."

Troy's eyes flickered from Riley's to mine and he relaxed some, shaking his head, and continued to walk with me down the hallway. "Young men these days have no respect for women." He spoke quietly but loud enough so that I could hear him.

"Thank you," I agreed, "I don't know why my mom likes Riley and me together. He's a jerk."

My boyfriend nodded and we reached homeroom. He stepped aside to open the door for me again and then followed me into the classroom. Once class started, we got to work on the assigned project from Ms. Darbus.

Troy handed me the stapled packet of papers. "Okay, so for this section, we're supposed to ask each other questions and then write down the answers. You want to go first?"

"Sure," I replied and flipped a page over, my pen poised to the paper. "Question number one…"

* * *

**Name: **Gabriella Montez

**Partner:** Troy Bolton

**Question 1:** Do you like your first name? Have you ever wished you had a different name? What name would it be?

* * *

Troy raised his eyebrows and then chuckled quietly. "Well, my birth name is Troy Alexander Cameron, but I took on the surname Bolton when Jim and Melinda considered me a part of their family. So, I guess I rather like my name the way it is."

I quickly scribbled down his answer and then waited expectantly for his turn to repeat the same question to me.

"What about you?" Troy asked, laughing quietly again as he saw the expression on my face.

"I like my name, thank you very much. Although, if my name was different, I wish it would be Vanessa. It means 'butterfly.'"

Troy grinned in response, "But I like your name." He looked down at the second question. "Hey, then we're supposed to look up and find the meanings of our full name."

"Shall we look on Google?"

"What about if we just used an encyclopedia?"

"Troy, it'd be a whole lot easier to just Google it."

"That's not an actual word, Gabriella. You can't just _Google_ something." Troy tried to squelch his laughter as I rolled my eyes.

"Just get on the freaking computer and look it up, Bolton."

"Alright, alright." Troy and I stood up and went over to the computers on the side of the room. Once we logged in using Troy's username and password, we launched Internet Explorer and searched for his name first.

"According to this site, _Troy_ is derived from the French city, 'Troyes.' The meaning is 'unknown.' Okay... I didn't know that."

I wrote down the rest of the information of his name on my paper, drawing tiny hearts on the edge of the page.

* * *

**Name:** Gabriella Montez

**Partner:** Troy Bolton

**(On the lines below, write the origin and meaning of your full name...)**

First Name: Troy  
Origin: French  
Meaning: unknown

Middle Name: Alexander  
Origin: Greek  
Meaning: 'defending men'

Last Name: Bolton  
Origin: English  
Meaning: 'round hill'

* * *

After that, Troy typed in my name and he filled out the rest of the information of my name down on his paper.

* * *

**Name:** Troy Bolton

**Partner:** Gabriella Montez

**(On the lines below, write the origin and meaning of your full name...)**

First Name: Gabriella  
Origin: Hebrew  
Meaning: 'God is my might'

Middle Name: Nicole  
Origin: Greek  
Meaning: 'people of victory'

Last Name: Montez  
Origin: Italy/Spanish  
Meaning: 'mountain abbreviation of Montague and Montgomery'

* * *

After I read through the directions for the next section, I tried to stifle my laughter. Troy stared at me as if he thought I was going insane.

"What's so funny?"

"The directions say we're supposed to… write a… s-sentence!" I gasped out, my sides hurting from laughing so much.

"What?"

Finally, I calmed down enough and pointed to his paper. "It says we have to write a legit, complete sentence explaining our names."

"Whoa."

"I know right? Ms. Darbus fell off her rocker!"

Troy's eyes grinned with mischief. "Oh, so I'm supposed to put down, 'God is my people's might of victory…' but what about Montez?"

"I have no freaking clue, but I figured out yours!" I slid my paper over and waited for his reaction.

_The unknown men defended a round hill. _

Troy grinned and kissed my cheek. "That's really cool how you did that."

I giggled and lightly slapped his arm. "Well, it's one of my talents."

"It is?"

"Yeah, writing sentences of someone's name is _totally_ my expertise." The sarcasm rolled off my tongue, and hopefully Troy got the joke. "And you know what?"

"What?"

"I know someone who loves all of your cute corniness. You know who that is?"

Troy shook his head, laughing slightly. "Who?"

I leaned closer, pressed my lips to his neck and kissed him. "Me."

Troy momentarily shivered at my touch. "Thank you."

His arms reached to pull me in to a tender embrace, and I slid off from my chair to sit on his lap. He was practically cradling me as if I was a porcelain doll, but I was so comfortable with him that I didn't mind.

We were lost in our own little world, just staring at each other as if no one was in the room. That is, until someone reminded us of their presence. Troy looked up and smiled, protectively holding me closer to him. "Hey, Emily. What's going on?"

A young couple of around seventeen years of age stood in front of us. The girl smiled and waved at me, and I instantly felt comfortable, just when I had met Troy. I shyly waved back, slightly embarrassed that they saw us in our awkward position. But Troy didn't seem to mind, and kissed my cheek in comfort.

"Just wanted you to introduce your girlfriend. Gabriella, isn't it?" Emily asked, and more waves of calm washed over me. I wondered where the feeling came from, but decided it wasn't a pressing matter at the moment.

"Yes…"

The girl smiled; her long, chestnut wavy hair bouncing as she nodded. "I'm Emily, and this is my boyfriend Tyler Harris. We're part of Troy's family." Her blueberry eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took my hand, shaking it. "You know, if you wanted, we could hang out sometime."

"Sure. That sounds great!" I agreed, looking over to Tyler, and he nodded politely. I felt a little hurt when he made no move to give me a handshake or a greeting.

Emily sighed. "Sorry about Tyler's behavior. He's new to the whole…" she lowered her voice as she leaned in, "animal _diet_."

I nodded again, understanding at once what she referred to. But just looking at Tyler, he didn't seem the kind of vampire who (I mentally shuddered as I thought this) could kill humans for their blood. His dark curly hair and brown eyes accentuated his diamond shaped face, and he gave me a small smile of apology in return.

The bell finally rang and we gathered our belongings and filed out of the classroom. Troy held my hand and we walked closely together down the hallway. All of the sudden, he scooped me up into his arms, and I shrieked in surprise. Laughing, he carried me the rest of the way to the gym, and I didn't refuse. When we were outside of the gym, he put me down but then swiftly pushed me up against the door and rested his forehead against mine. I couldn't find the moment to catch my breath as he placed his hand on the side of my cheek. I got lost in his smoldering gaze. He was so close to me…

His sweet breath lingered in the air as he slowly leaned in to close the gap between us. My pulse raced as I tried to prepare myself for the kiss. With shaky hands, I reached up, locking my arms around his neck, my fingers playing with the few strands of his hair on the back of his head. All too soon, the warning bell rang in our ears, causing us to leap apart.

"C'mon, Gabi," Troy took my hand and sighed in frustration. He too, was a little upset that we were interrupted.

By the time I put on my gym shorts and a plain t-shirt, I found out we'd be running laps around the track outside. Just when things could get any better, I felt a brief stab of pain in my side, and the all-too-familiar sensation that I needed to use the restroom.

I hurried into an empty stall and shut the door, shocked to see that I indeed started my period. Ever since I'd began menstruating at the tender age of thirteen, I'd had the worst luck regarding my time of the month. Last year, my doctor diagnosed me with menorrhagia, which meant I'd bleed heavily (along with other symptoms) throughout each cycle. Suddenly, I realized that my blood was outside of my body, and the scent would tempt Troy. I knew it would be impossible to stop seeing him for a week. I quickly folded some toilet paper to stem the bleeding for a while, made sure I looked presentable, and then hurried out of the locker room.

Everyone was waiting for me, and Troy noticed the difference about me. He put his hand on the small of my back and led me to the group.

"Are you alright?" Troy whispered in my ear and I swore I could feel the blood drain from my face. He knew there was something wrong.

Tyler then walked over and gulped loudly. "Um, Troy? She's going through a hard time."

My eyes darted to Tyler and I gave him a threatening look. If he so dared told Troy, I would find a way to kill him since I was embarrassed enough already. _Wait a second, how is he able to notice my feelings?_

As if he could read my mind, Troy leaned in and his voice gave me tingles that ran down my spine. "Tyler can perceive and manipulate others emotions. He picked up on your worry and nervousness. What's wrong?"

I let out a shaky breath and whispered back, hoping that he wouldn't laugh at my distress. "Well… you see.. um… my p-period started."

As I anxiously waited for his reaction, my chest constricted painfully and tears pricked the corners of my eyes.

"Breathe, Gabriella." Troy soothed and rubbed my lower back in comfort. "Is this the normal time of your cycle?"

Why wasn't he flipping out? I knew guys thought 'female problems' were disgusting. "No, it's always irregular." I stumbled forward into his arms and Troy looked at me worriedly.

"You need to rest. I'm going to see if you can sit out during gym today –"

Mr. Robert Peterson, the gym teacher and Riley's father, butt in at that moment and frowned down at us. "Miss Montez, I assume you'll be able to run the mile around the football field? What was going on in the bathroom?"

Troy saw the disappointment written across my face and stood up for me. "Sir, with all due respect, I believe she is unwell enough to not run the mile today."

Mr. Peterson snorted in disbelief. "She didn't break her leg or anything of the sort. Everyone will be graded on how fast they complete the mile." His gaze burned through my skull, and I cringed. "If they don't participate, they'll receive an F for the rest of the term."

I saw Troy opening his mouth to speak, and I intervened, "Mr. Peterson, don't worry I'll run -" But before I finished, the pain in my side flared up again. I doubled over and whimpered. Usually, I had a high pain tolerance, but this particular set of cramps hurt like hell! _Oh joy, blood clots!_ I thought bitterly.

"Gabriella, do you want me to take you to the nurse?" Emily whispered urgently. I shook my head and felt traitor tears streak down my face.

I argued, "I'll be fine. I'll just need to take a breather every now and then."

Troy kissed my forehead. "If you say so…"

"Troy, I have to do this. My whole senior year depends on it. If my mom finds out I failed in P.E, she'll kill me."

"That's not funny."

"I meant it as an exaggeration."

"Still…"

"Troy, stop it!" I bit my lip in an attempt to keep my temper in check. Right now, I did not want to fight with him, especially when my hormones were messing with my sanity. "Look," I lowered my voice, willing myself to calm down. "I like that you're protecting me, but honest, I'll let you know if there's anything wrong."

Troy visibly relaxed and nodded once more. "Promise me you won't let yourself work too hard?"

I placed my hands on my hip as we took our place at the starting line. "I may not like running, but I won't push myself too much."

Troy put one foot forward, his eyes looking straight ahead. "I could carry you."

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. "Troy just keep your focus on the task at hand. I'll be fine."

Before he could protest, Mr. Peterson blew the whistle and we began to jog at a leisurely pace. Troy and I made small talk as we jogged beside each other. As we were rounding the corner of the track, a cramp tore through my side and I gasped out in pain. "Damn cramps!" I slowed down my stride and tried to breathe through the pain.

"Are you okay?" Troy's voice was laced with concern. Of course he wasn't worried about the run, among all the things a human would be stressing over. He's done this hundreds of times, and didn't break a sweat.

"Troy, I need my water bottle." I swallowed hard as the pain briefly subsided.

"All right…" I waited while Troy left to get my water bottle. When he returned, he handed the container to me and I drank, enjoying the cold liquid running down my throat.

"Hey, Bolton! Montez! Get going!" Mr. Peterson urged us on, and I forced my legs to move again.

"You still considering the offer?" Troy asked, noticing my form starting to falter.

"Just… one more… lap!" I huffed, and my vision blurred from the sweat dripping into my eyes. I hastily wiped them away, trying to ease my concentration off from Troy's muscular biceps back to the run. We completed the mile within twelve minutes, and we received a B for 'exceptional participation.' Troy promised after school he'd take me to the ice cream parlor and we'd share a treat together. I giggled at the last part, cause I knew that he couldn't eat the ice cream. As he secretly told me before, the taste of human food to vampires was like eating dirt.

Emily and Tyler heard our conversation, and we invited them to join us. The rest of the school day was thankfully short, due to a pep rally in support of the school's athletes. As Troy and I took our spots in the gym's bleachers beside Tyler and Emily, the band's blaring music was a bit too loud for my ears. I unplugged my ears once the songs were over, and my patience was wearing thin. Usually, I hated school pep rallies, but this time, I was actually interested that East High was hosting a car wash fundraiser this Friday. The money would support the cost for a new gym floor, or new stage lights in the auditorium. Our senior class would be separated into two teams, and whoever 'wins' by the end of the day got to have a day off on Monday next week.

After the last bell rang, Troy and I drove to a place called 'Cold Stone Creamery.' Tyler and Emily arrived shortly after us, and once I ordered my desert, we sat down at a table. "Mmm," I quietly moaned and giggled as I spooned some whipped topping into my mouth.

The vampires watched and chuckled at my reaction.

"It's really good, huh?" Troy joked, leaning forward and propping his head up on his elbow.

I nodded and continued to eat in total bliss. This was the best thing I ever had in my life!

"So," Emily smiled and twisted a strand of her hair around her finger, "that has fudge, graham cracker pie crust, cheesecake ice cream… and what are those black things?" She tilted her head and stared curiously at my food.

I swallowed a bite and had to stifle another giggle. "Oh, you mean Oreo cookies? They're so good!" Carefully, I picked up a piece and put it in front of her on the table.

Emily glanced over at Tyler, then back at me. "I've never had these before… Interesting…"

"Em, in all honesty, I don't think you'd want to try it." Tyler warned, but I knew he was silently urging her to taste it.

"Oh, what the heck!" Emily popped the cookie into her mouth and my jaw dropped in shock as she manfully swallowed it with a grimace.

"How was it?" I asked in disbelief. Troy covered his mouth with his hand to hide the smile.

Emily hesitated before answering. "Never again."

Troy, Tyler and I laughed and then I finished my treat. When we walked outside, I opened the door to slide into Troy's car, but Emily walked over with a plastic bag in her hand.

She handed it to me and whispered, "I did some shopping during free period and knew you were going to need these."

I cautiously looked inside and my heart sank with dread. "Emily, you didn't have to get me _sanitary_ _napkins_!"

Emily tilted her head to the side in confusion at my statement. "Gabriella, they are pads and tamp-"

"Shh!" I clamped my hand over her mouth before she could finish her sentence. "I know what they are, I could've gotten them myself!" My face flushed with heat, and I hoped Troy wasn't listening to our conversation.

Emily just shrugged her shoulders and gently removed my hand. "Troy's not going to mind. Trust me."

My eyes widened and I swore my heart stopped. "How did you know...?"

She just winked and pointed to her head. "I'm a psychic and can see the future."

"Cool!" I exclaimed and then winced as another cramp took over. "I hate being human." I muttered and Emily smiled and leaned in.

"Don't worry, it won't be for long," and then she hurried away to her car across the parking lot.

Wait a second, what did she mean? I wondered. My thoughts were interrupted as I heard Troy growl lowly and say something under his breath.

"Troy?"

My boyfriend glanced over and gave me a forced smile. "Sorry, what?"

"What's wrong?"

His hands gripped the wheel and threw the car in reverse, startling me for a moment as I hanged onto the arm rest for dear life. I quickly put on my seat belt and noticed Troy glaring at Tyler and Emily as we passed by them in the parking lot.

"Why are you angry?" I was suddenly aware that his mood change put a damper on mine as well.

Troy sighed and shifted the car into a higher gear as we raced on the road. "It's nothing you should worry about."

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms and huffed. "Well, I'm worried. You're acting like a cloud's over your head."

He looked over at me and I saw the apology in his eyes. "I'm sorry for my behavior. It was rude of me to snap at you."

I looked down at the bag and caught his gaze following my line of vision. "Troy, don't look at that!" I buried my face in my hands, utterly embarrassed.

"Do we need to hurry to your house so you can change?"

"Ugh, we're not having this conversation."

"I was just wondering, Gabriella. Please, I don't mean to cause you agony over this. If you don't want to talk about it, then that's fine."

I peeked through my fingers. "You… don't mind?"

Troy took my hands and placed them in my lap. "No, I don't mind at all. I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable." He sent me a grin and added, "Besides, I'm not the typical guy. You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

I nodded, comforted by the fact that we both trusted each other. The scenery passed by in a green blur, and much too soon for my liking, Troy pulled up by the curb of my house. As soon as the disappointment was evident on my face, curiosity replaced all other emotions as I spotted an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway.

"Who's here?" Troy asked, voicing the thought that repeatedly ran through my mind.

"I don't know," I muttered, and got out of the car.

He was by my side within a second, and he caught my arm. "Let me go first, just in case it's an intruder."

I silently agreed, and I cautiously followed Troy into the house. As soon as I opened the door, I could hear giggling and quiet laughter coming from one of the bedrooms.

"Mom? Are you there?" I called out, and no one answered. Slowly, we tiptoed to my mom's room, and Troy looked through the opening of the door to peek through.

He cursed under his breath and I panicked. I'd never heard him swear before, so the situation was worse than I thought.

"What's happening?" I went to see, but he blocked my view.

"Gabriella, calm down…"

Breathy moans reverberated from inside the room and I swore my heart just stopped.

"What is she doing?!" I maneuvered around Troy and burst through the door. I froze when I saw a man on top of my mother, both wearing their underwear. Several articles of clothing lay strewn across the floor.

My mom and the stranger gasped and covered themselves, and I was literally seeing red. "Get off her!" I growled, and launched myself at the man, but Troy held me back before I could inflict damage. My hands clawed desperately at Troy's arms, struggling to get out of his grip, but his impossible strength was no match for my futile attempts.

"Let me go, Troy!" I screamed as tears blurred my vision.

"Gabriella, you need to calm down!" He easily dragged me away from the scene, and I watched as my mother and the man start to put their clothes back on.

"Gabi, I can explain – " Maria called out, but she didn't seem worried about my reaction. It was as if she was expecting me to walk in while they were about to have sex.

Disgusted and feeling betrayed, I felt more tears stream down my face. "Who is he? Is that your boss?" My cool demeanor broke as my voice cracked with emotion.

Maria sighed, nodding her head. "Yes, he is my boyfriend. I was going to introduce you to him today – "

"Bullshit!" I yelled, my eyes shooting daggers at her. "You lied to me!"

"How did I lie, Gabriella?" Maria's statement cut a fresh wound in my bleeding heart. "He's been nothing but good to me, whereas you're just a waste of space. And who's _this_?" Her eyes flickered to my boyfriend.

Troy swallowed hard and spoke vehemently, "Troy Bolton."

Maria's dark eyes suddenly glimmered with interest. "I see, another Bolton. Brad's told me all about your family."

Troy and I stiffened at her words. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to show my fear.

Brad then walked out of the room, his eyes dark as onyx. "I'm a vampire." He edged closer to me, and I backed away, whimpering in fright. "Forgive me, I'm a bit thirsty, and your blood smells sweeter than honey."

Before he could get closer, I was protectively pulled behind Troy, and Troy lunged at Brad's throat. My human eyes couldn't follow their lightning quick reflexes. The growls and the snapping of jaws from both vampires assaulted my senses. Then, I saw Brad caught in a headlock, Troy's biceps flexed as his hands squeezed around the attacker's neck.

"No!" Maria cried out, and I noticed a flash of something shining in the light, and I tackled her to the ground. She focused her attention off from Troy on to me, and I gasped as I saw the hypodermic needle poised at my neck. Maria was definitely stronger than I thought, but the adrenaline helped me fight for my survival.

"Troy!" My teeth gritted in frustration as I mustered all of my strength to push my mother off me. Black dots scattered across my eyes when Maria slammed my head onto the tile floor. Taking advantage of my moment of weakness, she jabbed the needle into my neck, and then I felt her weight shoved off me. Each heartbeat burst a shock wave of pain that scalded through my veins.

"Gabriella!" My angel cried as I felt his body shake with tearless sobs, cradling me against him. "Jim, what's happening to her?"

An unfamiliar voice reached my ears, and I turned my head at the sound. "She's got traces of wolfsbane in her bloodstream." Two cold hands softly palpated my scalp, and I flinched. "There aren't any cracks in the skull, but I suspect she's also got a contusion."

A few gasps surrounded me as my vision started to turn hazy. "T-Troy…" I moaned loudly, clinging to his shirt.

"What do I do?" Troy gasped out through clenched teeth.

"She needs to drink your blood, Troy." The tenor instructed, and I heard a sharp ripping sound of teeth tearing into flesh, before I felt a wrist held to my mouth.

"C'mon, Brie, drink." Troy's gentle whisper brought me out of my daze, and I sucked at the wound. At first, the blood stung in my mouth, but almost immediately the most peculiar and wonderful thing happened: a taste so extraordinarily divine that I could only define as ambrosia ran down my throat. I gulped down the sweet nectar, and quietly moaned as I saw images of Troy's past life as a human flash before my eyes.

It was as if I was a spectator on the sidelines watching as several memories played repeatedly. One of them, Troy was with his friends laughing at some joke shortly before the firework explosion. The flashback switched to a time when a young Troy was being held by his birth mother, and I noticed the astonishing resemblance between his father and him. Everything about Troy appeared almost identical in the face of his father – his memories were the only time I would actually see him face-to-face.

The memories echoed in my mind, as I was suddenly pulled away from the sweet moment when Troy briefly moved his wrist away from my lips. "That's enough for now." The sound of his voice was like velvet, but I wanted more. I whimpered at the loss of contact and reached out again, but he shook his head, scolding me.

"How do you feel, Gabriella?" I turned my head to see Jim, Troy's adopted father, and I smiled briefly, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks as I remembered Troy's memories. _How did that happen?_

"I feel better." I whispered, feeling a little groggy, as if I awoke from a much-needed nap. "What's wolfsbane?"

Troy carefully helped me sit upright, and I expected to fully support my own weight; however, he crawled behind me and let me lean against his chest, settling me between his legs. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he intertwined our fingers together and kissed my cheek.

Jim cleared his throat and swept back my hair over my shoulder to look at my wound. "Well, you healed fairly quickly. Aconite, commonly known as wolfsbane, is a plant that is used in medicines to treat a variety of diseases, including fever, pneumonia, asthma, high blood pressure, headaches and inflammation. It is also used as a poison and can be fatal if given over sixty mg dosage. Vampires are substantially weakened if exposed to the toxin."

I looked around for signs of Maria and her boy toy. "Where's Maria and Brad?"

"They escaped as soon as my family came to help us, and are currently on the run." Troy said, pressing his lips to the top of my head. A familiar scent awoke my senses, and my mind reeled. "Why do I smell gasoline?"

Jim told us to leave while they tried to contain the fire in the other room. Apparently, Brad and Maria were ready to dispose of Troy's and my body had it come to a fight. The wolfsbane would have rendered Troy unable to fight back long enough for Brad to decapitate him. I shuddered in Troy's arms as he carried me outside and into his car, not from the coolness of his skin, but due to the fact that we had almost died.

The drive to the Bolton's house was shorter than I expected. We drove down a winding lane surrounded by dense trees, and when we pulled up into the driveway, he was at the passenger side ready to open my door. Taking my face into his hands, he brushed back a strand of hair from my face.

"Are you alright now?" He asked, silently asking permission before sliding his hand down from my shoulder all the way to my wrist. Very gently, he brought my hand to his lips, and kissed it.

"I'm okay, Troy. Are you?" I smiled weakly up at him, reaching up to place my hand on his cheek, repeating the same action he did to me only a few seconds ago. Troy visibly trembled beneath my touch, but it was a good sign. We still had an effect on each other.

After we went inside to relax on the couch in the living room, the rest of the family joined us moments later. Jim's wife, Melinda, a brunette with a kind spirit, introduced herself to me, and said she already considered me a part of the family.

I finally knew that I belonged with Troy. He wrapped his arms around me and vowed to never leave me, and sealed that promise with a kiss to my forehead. Thus, the journey of our love truly began.


	5. Never Been Hurt

_"I will love you like I've never been hurt  
Run through fire for you like I've never been burned  
I'm gonna risk it all like I've never been lost  
Gonna give it all I've got  
I will love you  
I will love like I've never been hurt" _

_**\- Never Been Hurt**__ by Demi Lovato_

* * *

**September 2, 2007**

The Bolton family was more than generous to offer me a place to stay. With Troy and his family, I finally felt I could heal from the psychological damage Riley caused. Among all the pain I went through, none of them would compare to the thought of being transformed into a vampire. Troy only told me in minor details of the experience, and I became more afraid of what might happen if I was changed unwillingly. I tried to convince Troy to change me before the year was over, but he had none of it. He was vehemently against the idea of me being an immortal, although I knew the act itself wouldn't be selfish, but selfless.  
Then, came about another discussion: where I previously had little trouble in chemistry and advanced calculus, I now excelled to the point that those classes became increasingly boring. I'd already been taught the same information last year at the other school. It seemed that the teachers thought my work was a joke; and when I showed Troy my test scores, he'd suggested that I earn my GED. After a long conversation with Jim, Jim agreed to let the school know that we'll not return to East High after Thanksgiving weekend.

Since I drank Troy's blood to heal from the wolfsbane, our bond became stronger. We were practically attached at the hip, and when we were together, the magnetic pull was in overdrive. When I'd asked Troy about his theories on our progressing relationship, he chuckled.

"Brie," he said quietly, giving me my favorite nickname, "Ususally, when a vampire shares his or her blood with their mate, they're emotionally connected for life. Everything is now felt between both participating individuals. Whatever you feel: anger, despair, hope, joy, what have you, is now intensified, and I feel it as well. This bond seals an unspoken promise forever."

I nodded, slightly intimidated by the news, but took it in stride. "So, it's like Tyler's gift, only different? And what about this 'unspoken promise'? Is it like a marriage vow?" I blushed and briefly looked away as I spoke the last words. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, but we'd never even had admitted 'I love you,' yet.

Troy's blue eyes darkened at least three shades. "Very similar to wedding vows. Are you afraid?" He hesitated as he watched me with concern.

"No, just a bit overwhelmed." I replied honestly. "I never knew that there were so many technicalities in the vampire world."

"Well, it's the world that we live in." Troy shrugged his shoulders as a sign of confirmation. His gaze looked over my head, and he leaned in to whisper near my ears. "Just for future reference, I'd advise to never disagree with Emily."

I turned around to where he was looking, and saw Emily gracefully making her way towards us.

"Why?" I whispered back, even though every vampire in the room could hear me.

"Let's just say that she's pretty stubborn and is set in her ways, and there's no amount of begging or pleading in order to convince her."

I felt my brows knit together as I frowned at him. "Okay...?"

Emily raised her eyebrows as she reached us. "I heard your conversation, Troy. That wasn't really nice of you to say that about me." Her stern Southern accent floated out to us.

"Sorry, but it's the truth, sis."

"Whatever you say." Emily rolled her eyes, totally not believing him, and then she remembered her original plan. She hooked her arm around my elbow and urged me towards the door. "C'mon, honey, let's get you something nice to wear for the Homecoming dance."

I glanced over my shoulder and mouthed out a 'why me?!' to Troy. Troy laughed quietly at my expression and refused to move.

"B-but..." I stammered, not understanding. "Why are we doing this right now? Isn't the dance like two weeks away?"

"Exactly my point. No need to procrastinate when there's a lot of bargains out there right now!"

"Alright." I finally gave up arguing with her and we climbed into her car.

* * *

"Emmm!" I squealed as I spotted a cute, gold, sequin dress. I practically ran across the store to the clothing rack, staring longingly at the dress. Emily reached me within a matter of a few seconds, granted she's a vampire _supposed_ to be acting like a human. Luckily, no one paid attention to her quick speed, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"That is such a beautiful dress, Gabi." Emily nodded in agreement. "You should try it on!"

"What? No, I can't!" But she easily pushed me to a nearby dressing room, and I hurried to put on the dress, eager to see how it would look on myself. When I pulled it over my head, I turned to look in the mirror and liked that the dress showed off my curves. This would be perfect for homecoming. I was about to do a happy dance, when all of my hope dashed away as I peered down at the price tag. I almost had a heart attack!

"Emily, are you still there?" I called out, and opened the door of the dressing room. Emily sat in a chair in front of me and smiled.

"Wow, you look amazing, Gabs!" She exclaimed. "It fits you perfectly. You should get it."

I shook my head, saddened at the thought that I would have to put it back on the rack and walk away. "I can't afford it."

"Okay, I'll buy it for you then."

"No! Emily, it's $500, there's no way I'm letting you spend money on me." I argued.

Emily stiffened brusquely at my refusal and she narrowed her eyes. "Gabriella, I'm going to buy it for you; I don't have to see the future to know that. This is what best friends do, anyway."

I chewed on my lower lip in thought. "Fine." I stalked back into the dressing room and slammed the door behind me.

"Thank you, Gabriella." Emily replied, her tinkling laughter sounding like bells.

With my dress paid for and bagged, we walked out of the store. I was about to head in to American Eagle when my stomach decided it was time to let everybody know I was hungry. Emily giggled quietly as my stomach growled in protest.

"Time for the human to eat." She said and took my hand, pulling me to the food court. I rolled my eyes but let out a laugh at her behavior.

"What would you like to have for lunch?" The words were out of my mouth before I could process what I was saying.

The vampire beside me chuckled. "I'll take an order of a mountain lion, please. A little shaken up and angry, but not too spicy."

We both laughed at her joke, and I waited in line at _Amigos_. She then continued on, saying, "I like my dinner just how I like my man."

I raised my eyebrow in interest. "Oh, and how's that?"

"A little feisty." Emily giggled, and I had to laugh along again. I loved her sense of humor!

I placed my order and then we went to sit down at a table. As I ate, Emily kept up the conversation and I didn't feel pressured to talk. It was fine with me to sit back and listen to her.

After I finished my lunch, we continued to shop at several other stores, and sooner than I expected, we had to drop off our bags in Emily's car. Right as we walked up to her car in the parking lot, my body's internal clock told me it was urgent I used a restroom. I put the last bag in the back seat and shut the door, grimacing.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, noticing my discomfort.

"Sorry, um… I need a human moment, if you don't mind. I need to use the restroom."

Emily sympathetically smiled at me, nodding. "That's okay. Do you want me to go with you?"

I shook my head, backing away. "No, I'll be alright. I'll just be a few minutes."

She nodded again and opened the car door on the driver's side. "I'll pull up in front of the mall waiting for you."

"Thanks!" I hurried up the rows of cars and luckily found the bathroom in no time. After I washed my hands, I heard loud laughter coming from outside of the ladies' restroom. I recognized a voice instantly, and my heart filled with dread. A stab of pain chilled my chest as if my heart froze mid-beat.

Riley was with his friends, and they were standing on the other side of the door. Crap! I dug into my jeans pocket for my cell phone to alert Emily but then I remembered I left it in my purse in the car. I was trapped. I knew if I walked out there, the men would realize who I was and possibly attack me, or worse. Tears began to build in my eyes as panic took over, and I wished Troy was with me. I looked up and stared at the ceiling. I estimated that five minutes have already passed, and Emily would be wondering if I accidentally fell into the toilet. A bang on the door shook me to the core, causing me to feel lightheaded from my hyperventilation. Oh no, Riley was going to burst through the door and kill me!

I started to cry, my body trembling violently as I slid down the wall to the floor, and curled into a fetal position. I laid there for what seemed like hours, just hoping that the boys would walk away. And finally, when ten minutes probably ticked by, it seemed that the coast was clear. No talking or shuffling of feet could be heard from outside of the restroom.

Carefully, I stood up and wiped away my tears, and walked out. I was just around the corner when suddenly I was caught around the waist and pushed up against the wall. I cried out in pain as my back collided with the wall, and struggled to get out of the man's grip.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" Riley sneered, an evil smirk plastered on his face. His four friends walked around the corner and surrounded us in a circle.

"It's that slut you slept with, Ri," One of the men chortled.

Riley chuckled darkly, and one of his hands traveled from my waist down south. I squirmed from his touch, and kicked out, unfortunately missing his private parts.

He grinned and was only encouraged by my fight, and slid his hand underneath my shirt. "It'll just be like the last time we were together, Gabriella," He harshly breathed against my neck. "Only there will be more people. How does that sound?" His teeth grazed my skin and I flinched; terrified of the event that would happen. My vision blurred as I felt more tears stream down my face.

"How about you back off, you son of a bitch?" A strong familiar voice caught my attention. It was Troy!

Riley snorted and didn't let go of me. "Oh, c'mon, we're just having a little fun."

"If you want to keep your manhood, I strongly advise you to let my girlfriend go!" Troy vehemently clenched his jaw, as I realized he was hiding the exposure of his retracted fangs.

Riley, finally thinking for once, dropped me to the floor, and I gasped for air as searing pain ran down my throat where he had put his hands on me.

Troy walked up to Riley, staring him down with heated anger showing in his eyes, fiercely telling Riley to back off. "Don't underestimate me! I'll rip off your testicles and shove them down your throat!"

Riley laughed raucously, obviously not believing his promise, but doubled over in pain as Troy suddenly punched him in the gut. I heard the sound of bone cracking and Riley's girlish scream of shock.

"What the hell did you do to him, man?" One of Riley's friends was outraged, but he thought better not to test Troy's limit of his fury.

Troy growled and spun around, and this time bared his teeth. Riley's group stumbled as they ran away from the scene, but Riley didn't follow them immediately. Riley stared at me and grinned in spite of his pain. He spat in my face and lowered his voice as he spoke, foolishly thinking no one would hear him. Riley was definitely borderline psychotic.

"This isn't over!" He yelled and then limped away from us.

Troy rushed over to me and bent down. "Did he hurt you, sweetheart?"

I shook my head, but I still trembled from the aftershocks of my anxiety attack. "Thank you, Troy."

My Troy reached up and brushed away the tears falling down my face. "Let's get you home." He kissed the top of my head and I closed my eyes during the bittersweet moment; wishing that all of this pain and fear stopped me from fully giving myself to Troy.

As Troy carefully picked me up in his arms and carried me outside to the car, I then decided that I didn't want to live in constant fear anymore. Realistically, I knew I would never completely get over the rape, but at least I could start healing. The drive home was silent, except for the quiet music playing in the background.

When we arrived, Jim examined me for any external injuries, and finding that I was alright, but still a little frazzled, he prescribed a relaxing, hot bath.

Troy led me upstairs into his bedroom and I waited while he turned on the water. Since the bathroom door was closed to give me some privacy, I took off my clothes and wrapped the towel around me. Troy returned and gave me my favorite smile, and took a step back to let me through. Then, he turned around and left, closing the door behind him. I stepped into the sudsy water, melting at the warmth. I looked around in awe; Troy really went all out for me.

Lit candles lined the edges of the bathtub, giving off the sweet aroma of lavender. Rose petals were scattered on top of the water, making this experience very romantic. A bottle of some expensive body oil suddenly gave me an idea. I hoped he would keep an open mind about taking a bath with me.

"Troy?" I called out, taking a deep breath and letting it out. _It's time to be brave, Gabriella. This is just an experiment, after all,_ I told myself to relax.

"Gabriella, do you need anything?" Troy quietly said on the other side of the door.

"Could you please come in? I miss you already."

I heard Troy chuckle quietly, but he politely declined. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Please, Wildcat?" I pleaded.

"'Wildcat?'" He repeated, obviously confused.

"I'll explain the reason of choosing your nickname if you come in. Honestly, Troy, there's nothing you can do that will make me scared of you. I trust you."

Silence passed over us as he thought about my offer. Finally, after a minute, Troy opened the door and walked in, sitting at the edge of the bathtub. He didn't look me in the eyes and just stared at the tile floor.

"Troy, could you get in with me?" I asked, my voice shaking a little.

Troy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know, Brie. The water will turn cold and your hot bath will be ruined."

"I'm pretty sure this bathtub can fit three people, so if you need some space, you can be at one side and I'll be at the other." Although I tried to hide the disappointment in my voice as I said this, Troy caught on pretty quickly.

A smile broke through on his face. "I can't deny anything that makes you happy. All right, I'll join you."

I couldn't hold back the triumphant grin of my own, and giggled lightly. "Um, do you want me to look away?"

Troy laughed exuberantly, his eyes crinkling as he continued to smile at me. "You don't have to, unless the sight of me without clothes on disturbs you."

"Okay." I nodded, and turned to look down as he removed his clothes and then felt the water shift a little as he climbed into the tub. I could only see his bare, toned chest and arms, and I was glad there were a lot of bubbles to conceal my cleavage and the rest of my body.

Evidently, Troy assumed what I was thinking and he chuckled quietly. "You and your human desires." He said in amusement.

"I know somewhere deep down you feel something for me, too," I counteracted his statement, feeling the heat rush to my face when he nodded in agreement.

"True, I am a man after all, but I'm being polite."

I raised my eyebrows, urging him to explain further, but he remembered our conversation a few minutes ago.

"So," he absentmindedly swirled his finger around a soap bubble in the water, "what were you going to say about my nickname?"

"Well," I watched him pop another bubble, not minding at all. "I assumed you were the type of vampire that preferred mountain lions over grizzly bears."

"You thought correctly," Troy murmured, "Although I don't know how you could tell just by looking at me."

"It's not based on looks alone, but… I know what you're getting at. The way you carry yourself is so graceful, like a huge cat. And my human eyes can't tell how fast you're going. You're just a blur to me."

Troy nodded thoughtfully, pondering what I said. "This is a rough estimate, but generally speaking, vampires can run at their top speed of around 150mph."

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "That's so cool!" I noticed at how cool the water began to feel, and I rubbed my arms to try to conserve body heat.

"You're cold. I'll turn on the jets." Before I could ask him what he meant, Troy reached over and grabbed a remote and pushed a button. I felt a shoot of warm water hit my back and I squealed in surprise, accidentally splashing Troy in the face with the soapy water.

The look on his face was too adorable, and he wiped the suds off with the back of his hand. He just sat there, staring at the bubbles and spit out a stream of water.

"Oops! I'm sorry." I giggled, suddenly feeling a strange urge to defend myself.

Troy looked up and grinned mischievously. "You're so going to pay for that!" He launched at me and began to tickle me.

I screamed and wriggled, laughing hysterically "T-Troy, p-please s-s-stop!"

My vampire boyfriend seemed to be encouraged by my laughter, and chuckled. "Oh no, this is payback time!"

"Ahh ha, ha, ha!" I clutched my sides, trying unsuccessfully to push his hands off me. "I'm sorry! P-please, ah!"

Finally, he stopped tickling me, but kept his hands on my waist. The color of Troy's eyes darkened as he slowly leaned in. His nose nuzzled against mine and I giggled, my heartbeat increasing.

"Gabriella," his voice sounded strained, and I knew it took every ounce of his control not to attack me. "May I kiss you?"

Breathlessly, I nodded. "Yes."

Then, ever so carefully, he placed one of his hands on the side of my face and pressed his lips on mine. My body responded accordingly, and I locked my arms around his neck. His kiss was gentle, my lips molding to the shape of his, and my heart ached with how tender his hold was around me. This was our first kiss, and all I could describe it as was magical.

When we pulled away, he leaned his forehead against mine, his eyes smoldering. All I could think of next to say was: "How is your self-control? Should I move away?"

"No. Stay." He said, and I obliged, clinging to his arms as he kissed the racing pulse underneath my jaw.

"I want to make you mine in every way humanly possible." He whispered softly.

My breath caught in my throat at his words. Did he mean…? All of the sudden, Troy abruptly got out of the tub and flitted out of the room. Just like that, without a word.

"Where are you going?" I shouted, frustrated and upset at his disappearance.

But only a few seconds later, Troy returned, this time wearing a pair of boxer shorts, and his hair already towel dried.

"Would you like to get dried off now?"

"Oh. Yes, please." I hesitated, staring shyly at him.

"I'll turn around…" Troy acknowledged my insecurity and handed me the towel and turned his back to me.

I quickly dried myself off and then wrapped the towel around myself. "I'm done."

"You're beautiful." He said fervently, facing me and pulling me into his arms and embracing me.

Tilting my head up, I kissed his neck. "Maybe we are meant to be together. You and I, we have something special. Don't forget that."

"I won't, Gabriella, I can surely keep that promise."

After he pulled the plug and let the tub drain, I allowed him to dress me in a pair of sweatpants and one of his shirts. Not once did his eyes stray from my face the whole time. I reached up to touch the side of his face and gave him a quick kiss. "I love you, Troy."

The beautiful blue color I loved resonated in Troy's eyes. "As I love you." He kissed the top of my head, smelling my scent.

"Troy, can I ask you something?"

"Anything." He promised, sitting up straighter.

"When will you change me to become like you?"

Troy's affectionate mood instantly changed, and he ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "Jim and I talked about that when you and Emily were shopping. Eventually, we came to an agreement."

"And?" My voice went flat.

"I have one condition for changing you, if that's what you truly want."

"I want to spend forever with you. That's my final decision." I realized the full extent of the consequences behind my choice. The first few months as a newborn would be the hardest; the blood would be on my mind 24/7. But it was a risk I was willing to take.

He spoke slowly, his eyes never wavering from mine. "Marry me, Gabriella."

My gaze was resolved, and the stinging in my eyes relieved a little as tears threatened to spill over. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. "Yes, I'll marry you, Troy Bolton."

His face revealed a look of admiration and sheer joy as he picked me up and spun me around. I giggled in delight and he laughed along with me. Then, he stopped spinning and kissed me lightheartedly. Already slightly dizzy from the spinning, I kissed back enthusiastically, wrapping my arms around his shoulders for support.

It was I that had to pull away from the sweet kiss, and I bounced on my toes eagerly. "Wildcat, where's the ring?"

Troy gasped. "Oops, I forgot about that. Hold on a second." He walked over to his bedside table and opened a drawer, pulling out a velvet box. Striding over to me in three bounds, he lifted the lid, showing me the dazzling ring.

The piece of jewelry was simply extravagant; rows of tiny diamonds and aquamarine surrounded a blue topaz gem in the middle. I marveled at the beauty of it. Ever so gently, Troy brought my hand and slid the ring on my finger. To my surprise, it fit perfectly.

"A few days ago, after I hunted, I decided to get this at the jewelers. We don't have to set a date yet, but this ring means I'm promised to you, and you're promised to me." He clasped my hand in his and kissed my knuckles.

"It's really beautiful, Troy. Thank you so much!" I hugged him fiercely again. Troy held me in his arms with tender affection, and allowed me to slip from his embrace after a minute.

"Should we tell your family?" I asked, suddenly excited to tell the others about our engagement.

Troy lifted my face to look in his gaze. "_Our_ family would be more than welcomed to hear the news." He gently corrected. Troy called out the names with the same volume I'd use in regular conversation. "Jim, Melinda, Emily, Tyler?" Due to their heightened vampire hearing, they'd hear.

Jim was suddenly standing beside me, as if he'd been here this whole time. "Good evening, Gabriella." He smiled. "What can we do for you? I imagine you're feeling much better?"

I nodded. "Troy and I would like to talk to everyone at once about something important. Is that ok?" As I spoke, I couldn't help glancing up at Troy's face. His expression was pleased.

When I looked back to Jim, he said, "Of course. Why don't we talk in the other room?" He led the way through the bright living room, around the corner to the dining room. The walls of the dining room were white, the ceilings high, much like the adjacent living room. Under the low-hanging chandelier, was a large, polished square table. Troy held out one of the six chairs for me at the head.

I noticed we were not alone as soon as I turned to sit down in the chair. Melinda had followed Troy, and behind her the rest of the family walked in.

Jim sat at my right, and Troy on my left. Everyone else took their seats in silence, except a giggle bubbled out of Emily's lips, thus confirming she was already in on the secret. Tyler sat beside Emily and gave her a curious look, questioning her sudden giddy behavior, but she kissed him on the cheek to distract him. Tyler smiled at me tentatively, and my answering smile was just as timid as his. That was going to take getting used to.

Jim nodded toward Troy and me. "Do you have something to share with us?"

I swallowed. Their gazing eyes made me nervous. Troy took my hand under the table and gently squeezed it. I peeked at him, and he gave me a smile that beckoned my heartbeat to quicken. I heard him chuckle quietly, and then turned to face the others.

"Gabriella and I have an announcement." Troy said, running his smooth finger over the ring. "We're getting married." He pulled out my hand and placed it on the table. The ring sparkled in the light, and everyone gasped at the sight of it.

Emily was bouncing in her seat, trying to contain her excitement. "I knew it!"

Melinda almost burst into tears of happiness at our declaration. "Congratulations, dear. You know we already consider you a part of the family." she spoke, staring at me.

I caught Troy gazing at me out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and smiled up at him as Jim turned to us. "Yes, congratulations, Gabriella and Troy."

"Thank you," I mumbled, sharing an intense look with Troy before looking across the table at Emily.

"Well, Emily," I said, "We haven't set a date yet, but what do you think?"

Emily's eyes turned into a glassy stare. She remained in her trance for a few seconds before shaking her head from side to side. "It's up to you and Troy to decide, but I can book you a flight to New York during the week of Christmas. There's a ski lodge in the mountains, and Troy could teach you how to ski down the slopes."

Troy considered that through and looked down at me. "That would be amazing, right, Mrs. Bolton?"

My heart pounded in my chest as I shook my head. "No. If I'm promised to you, I want to be Mrs. Cameron."

I barely heard the quiet weeping of joy coming from Melinda as she grasped onto Jim for support. Troy recognized my correction and grinned, hugging me to his side and kissing the side of my face. "Then I'd love nothing more then to make that happen, my beautiful fiancee."

* * *

**December 14, 2007**

"Happy birthday, beautiful," I felt Troy pull me impossibly closer to him as he pressed his lips to the base of my throat. I swallowed a moan and opened my eyes.

"Mmm, good morning to you, too." I said, gazing up at him in awe. The sunlight that filtered through the window cast an ethereal glow to his skin and made the color of his hair intensify. How did I not notice it before? I could see shades of both dark and light brown, maybe even a hint of blonde all at the same time; they didn't conflict with each other at all. Acting upon instinct, I reached out to touch the smooth strands at the nape of his neck. Troy closed his eyes and smiled, seeming very much at peace.

"How would you like to celebrate your special day?" He asked, tantalizing me as his hand traveled up and down my back.

I wasn't sure what he was hinting, but I suddenly remembered that I needed to pack my suitcase for our wedding. The Boltons and I would be celebrating Christmas early since Troy and I planned to travel to New York on the twenty-second. After the ceremony, my husband and I were reserved a room at _The Jefferson Inn_, a quaint bed and breakfast nearby the ski resort. After our honeymoon, we'd catch the next flight back to Albuquerque and then he'd change me.

I delicately removed myself from Troy's embrace and walked over to the walk-in closet. The clothes hanging on the left side were mine; from bohemian dresses, silk blouses, denim, and a variety of other styles. The adjacent vintage dresser was stored with my sweatpants, underwear, and a few of Troy's shirts that he allowed me to wear as pajamas.

Troy got out of bed and followed me. "Gabi, what are you doing?"

"I'm packing for our honeymoon, Troy." I stated quietly.

His arms wrapped around my waist underneath my breasts. "But Emily packed everything you need already."

I sighed and turned around in his arms. "Well, had I known that, I wouldn't be so nervous at the moment."

"Why are you nervous?" Troy murmured, his cool breath fanning across my face like stolen whispers.

I shrugged and looked away. "I don't know..."

"Gabi."

"I'm nervous about what happens after the wedding." A tear slipped down my face and Troy brushed it away with his thumb. I was scared to admit that I didn't know what to expect during sex. Riley tainted my first experience with violence, and I desperately didn't want to have a flashback as Troy and I were being intimate.

"Tell me what's on your mind, Brie. I'm afraid you're having second thoughts." Troy watched me warily as I shrugged out of his arms and sat down on the edge of the bed. I bit my lip and stared at the bed sheets as my vision blurred from more tears.

Troy sat down beside me but didn't move to comfort me yet. He allowed me to gather my thoughts before I spoke. "Troy... in order for our marriage to work, we have to be honest and open with each other, right?"

"Yes, I agree. What's wrong?"

My bottom lip quivered. "I, I don't know what it'll be like being intimate with you. R-Riley ruined everything for me, and I'm s-scared I won't know what to do and how to please you."

Troy thought about this for a few seconds and then knelt down in front of me. "Gabriella, baby, believe me, I'm scared too. I've never done this with anyone before, but we'll go at your pace, okay? We don't have to do anything if you're not comfortable."

My whole body trembled from the sobs that tore through me. "Thank you, Troy. I just... I want to do this with you, I'm just so, so scared. So terrified that I'll..." I paused and tried to calm down.

"You can trust me, alright?" Troy took my hand and kissed my knuckles in reassurance.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the horrible images of the rape that threatened to take over. "I don't know if I'll be able to... to..." I couldn't finish my sentence as I continued to sob.

Troy nodded his head, understanding that I didn't want to say the word aloud. "I know. But I promise you, we'll go at your pace. Whenever you're comfortable. If you want to stop, just tell me, and I won't push you."

"Okay." I whispered, clinging to him. Troy brushed the hair out of my face and placed me back in bed. "Will you be alright if I go downstairs and make you breakfast?"

Since I was overwhelmed by my emotions, I was exhausted. I nodded tiredly and scooted over to his space in the bed, smelling his scent that lingered on his pillow. Troy tucked me in and kissed my forehead, and then went downstairs to bring up my food.

I must've fallen asleep, because ten minutes later, I was awoken to the aroma of pancakes. Troy brought in a tray of my favorites: a cup of grapes, bananas and strawberries, a plate of two chocolate-chip pancakes topped with whipped cream and syrup, scrambled eggs and a glass of milk. I laughed quietly as I noticed he designed a 'vampire' smiley face with fangs with the whipped cream on the pancakes.

"You're crazy, Wildcat, but thank you. It's wonderful." I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips and sat up. Troy set the tray down on my lap and then climbed in on the other side of the bed. I ate all of my food and then cuddled with him.

I remembered the rest of the family, then. I loved them, but at this point, I didn't really want to talk to them. As if reading my thoughts, Troy assured me I shouldn't worry about being rude and staying in bed. "Everyone understands you're not feeling well. They went on a quick hunting trip and should be back in a few hours or so. When you're more rested, then we can go talk with the others."

I was too tired to reply so I nodded, and went back to sleep.

My birthday gift from Troy was a thick silver bracelet. The blue gemstone, a lapis lazuli, reminded me of the color in Troy's eyes. It was beautiful jewelry. Melinda bought me a chocolate cake filled with truffle, and Emily gave me a new credit card so I could go on a shopping spree.

After all of the day's events, I was still surprisingly exhausted, and returned to the bed in the cool arms of my love.

* * *

**December 22, 2007**

Then, the time came for all of us to head up to New York. Tyler was more than excited to be in the cockpit; he had assured me he got his license renewed and that I didn't have to worry about anything. My nerves picked up as soon as we were two hours away from our destination. Emily insisted that she and Melinda start on my makeup and do my hair. Troy refused and wanted me to relax and get some sleep, but the feisty Southern girl won the argument. Jim calmed him down enough so that I wasn't too worried about Troy's state of mind. Would he have regrets being my husband? Was I good enough for him?

Melinda combed a brush through my hair while Emily patted foundation on my face. Finally, they made me stand up to slide my dress over my hair and makeup. They allowed me to stare at my reflection, but I had to be certain it was me. Finally, I felt I belonged by Troy's side. My hair was twisted into an elegant knot, tendrils framing my face. Emily had picked out the perfect gown fit for the occasion. The dress was crafted with the delicate material of ivory chiffon and a blend of tulle and cotton. The wrapped center underneath the bust was embroidered with meticulous pleats and tucks, and the train flowed from my hips to the floor. A flower fascinator was placed in my hair; the veil covered part of my face. It was a modern take of the style during the nineteen-thirties era (the time when Troy remembered his human memories best.)

As the plane descended, Melinda warned me to not step out of the bathroom. She said that Jim was reassuring Troy that I didn't have cold feet. I guess Emily wanted to keep the tradition of the groom not seeing his bride before the wedding. As if we needed more good luck to get where we're at now.

With this unusual custom, the ceremony was frank and short. I followed Emily down the aisle, spotting Troy right away. My heart melted at the exultant smile on his face, meeting my awed gaze. Thankfully, the aisle was short, and Troy held out his hand to me. One look into his eyes, and I knew this was where I belonged. Seeming to agree with my unspoken words, he lent down to tenderly kiss me on the forehead.


	6. Rescue Me

_"Rescue me  
Show me who I am  
Cause I can't believe  
This is how the story ends  
Fight for me  
If it's not too late  
Help me breathe again  
No, this can't be how the story ends."_

**\- Rescue Me** by Kerrie Roberts

* * *

**1 hour later...  
**Through bleary eyes, I stumbled out of the limo as we finally reached our destination. The place we'd be staying at for the duration of our honeymoon was at a bed and breakfast called _The Jefferson Inn._ I looked up at the tall Victorian house, and we stepped inside. We walked up to the counter to check in and receive our room key, and then used the stairs to go up to our room.

The first thing I noticed was the huge king sized bed in the middle of the suite. I gulped loudly and went to touch one of the rose petals scattered across the linen bed sheets. I had to make sure everything was real, so I'd know this wasn't just my imagination. Troy set our suitcases by the bed and stared at me, gauging my reaction. I looked up at him, but his expression was unreadable.

"I suppose you need a human minute or two." He suggested. I ran a hand through my hair, a gesture I picked up from him to show I was anxious. I nodded and opened my bag, rummaging through the several articles of thin lace and silky material. I felt the heat rush to my face; of course Emily would pack lingerie in my suitcase. I finally found my toothbrush and toothpaste and rushed into the bathroom.

Troy would be waiting outside the door for me. I needed to calm down, so I busied myself with brushing my teeth and taking a shower. The warm water couldn't soothe my frazzled state of mind, so I decided to give up with trying to look presentable and just towel-dried my hair. I wrapped the towel under my armpits and then slowly walked out, peeking around the corner to see Troy in his boxers, lying on the bed and staring at the canopy ceiling.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Here goes nothing.

"Troy?" I whispered. My husband noticed my presence and smiled, but his eyes darkened in color again. My hands were shaking so bad, but I told myself this is what I wanted. I wanted Troy – there was no denying that. However, I was scared that he wouldn't approve of what he saw of me.

"Are you alright?" He was in front of me within the moment I blinked. His smooth touch startled me.

"I'm fine." I said, convincing myself that this was more important than his reassurance. Without breaking eye contact, I let the towel to slip from my body and fall to the floor. At first, Troy didn't realize I was naked until his eyes traveled downwards.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered fervently, pulling me close so I was flush with him. Carefully, Troy picked me up in his arms and carried me over to the bed. He laid me down on it and hovered over me. "Let me know at once if you feel uncomfortable."

"Okay." I nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious and vulnerable as his gaze traveled to my breasts.

"Hey, Brie?" Troy's response piqued my curiosity and the irritation I had for my apparance.

"What?" I asked, unsure of his reaction.

"Sit up, please. I'll do the same; then we can get a closer view of each other."

Well, I didn't expect _that_. He pulled away and sat back on his heels. As I mirrored a similar pose, his bashful smile shifted into subtle awe. His suggestion proved to be a somewhat awkward situation, two newlyweds staring at one another without a word. That is, until I broke the silence with my nervous rambling.

"The national average size of a man's erect penis is five-point-one inches. You've seem to exceed those standards." I babbled without realizing what I'd just said. Instead of looking away in embarrassment, I looked down, confirming my suspicions that, yes, Troy was well-endowed. _How are you going to fit?_

Troy blinked and he looked astonished. _I'll take that as a compliment. _Our bond allowed us to speak silently as a form of communication, whenever the moment was convenient.

_You should. I don't know why I just said that, though. _A note of uncertainty ringed in my thought to him.

_It's okay. Kinda makes this whole thing less nerve-wracking, with you feeding my ego. _He teased.

I arched my eyebrows. _Is that so? _I chewed on my lower lip and gestured to myself._ So, do I look okay?_

Troy reassured me, _Gabi, you're a very beautiful and desirable woman. You do not just look 'okay.' Everything about you... Gabriella, please don't be ashamed of yourself._

_Oh. Thank you. You're sexy, too. _I stammered, and noticed his breathing became harsh and unsettled. Interesting. "I have to confess something: last week, I almost got caught being in Jim's office."

"Why? What were you doing?" Troy asked. His head tilted and concerned expression was almost comical.

"I'd thought, for purely educational purposes, to research some necessary medical information and try to commit the text and pictures to memory. I found it's not so difficult to do if I can concentrate on the material long enough." My heart rate accelerated and knew Troy immediately detected the change. Despite my obvious nervousness, I continued, refusing to feel ashamed for seeking knowledge on how to please a man. "You'll probably have to correct my techniques if I do anything wrong."

Troy was still confused. "I honestly don't think Jim would mind. His office holds so many books, he practically has a library." He said, smiling slightly. "Gabi, why are you anxious about telling me this?"

"I wanted to learn how to, uh, properly stimulate you to orgasm." I winced. _Dammit, that sounded clinical; I already ruined the mood!_

Troy kissed my wrist as an offer of comfort._ Hey, relax, Brie. For the record, I've been reading, too. As soon as I found out you wanted to be intimate, I've studied several texts on human anatomy, mainly, the female reproductive system. Jim gave me hints on what to do, but nothing explicit. He'd mentioned before anything happens, though, we needed to express our concerns. You're not the only one's who nervous about this. Do you know why I didn't experience this with someone before?_

I numbly shook my head, silently encouraging him to continue.

Troy allowed the bond's presence to flare up again, and his voice soothed the worries in my mind._ It's difficult to explain, but... okay, so every vampire in existence has a mate, someone who's solely meant to be with that one person for the rest each other's lives. If a vampire's mate hasn't been born yet, such as in your case, or if they simply hadn't met yet, to attempt a relationship with anyone else has dire consequences. It just doesn't feel right... or safe... at all._

_Does it hurt?_ I asked, almost afraid of his answer.

_I don't know. _Troy said resignedly._ I was terrified to experience such tremendous amount of regret that it prevented me from forming any friendships or alliances with anybody outside my family. _

He gazed at me with a sheepish expression_. Over a decade ago, Emily began to catch glimpses of you in her visions. She couldn't describe your appearance very well, which was surprisingly frustrating to me, but she knew a few things about you when certain events happened in your life. At first, I refused to get my hopes up; when Emily suddenly blurt random facts about you, I couldn't allow myself to believe in the possibility that we'd meet soon._ My husband suddenly chuckled and temporaily closed his mind from the bond. "Until, one day, she'd asked the most absurd question; she came up to me and said: 'Troy, do you prefer chunky or creamy peanut butter?'"

I stifled a giggle. "Well, what did you say?"

Troy was clearly pleased this topic amused me. "I replied, 'when I was human, I liked chunky peanut butter. Now, not so much.'"

I laughed. "That was pretty random."

Troy agreed. "Emily said, 'Well then, you'd better practice making sandwiches. Your girl likes creamy peanut butter with strawberry jelly. Not grape.'"

"What can I say? They're amazing! So don't you dare diss my love for PB&amp;J sandwiches." I lightly nudged him.

He grinned cheekily. "You'll never go hungry with an outstanding peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich maker like me."

I laughed again; I loved that he knew exactly what to say to cheer me up. "Well, here we are, on our wedding night. We're naked, but instead of having sex like other couples, we're talking about sandwiches." I giggled, thinking about our ridiculous predicament. "You do mean everything to me, Troy. I don't want to disappoint you if we have to stop or..."

Troy stared at me affectionately. "How about we take things slow, and we'll go from there. But don't think for a second you'll disappoint me, Brie. This will be a learning process for both of us. Whatever happens, we won't be embarrassed. Besides," He added, "since my skin is practically impenetrable, you can even try to bite me."

With a sudden burst of confidence, I smiled and reached for him. "I trust you." I raked my hand through his hair and he sighed, pulled me forward onto his lap, and then trailed kisses along my neck to my collarbone. He moved back to my mouth and passionately kissed me again as his hands ghosted down my ribs.

I stiffened, gripped his shoulders and whimpered. "Troy!" Instead of stinging pain like I'd expected, his intimate caress felt strangely good.

"Shh, relax. I got you, sweetheart." Troy whispered and wrapped one arm around me to hold me closer to his bare chest.

That night, Troy showed me another side of his love. He was so thoughtful, so gentle with me that I wanted to cry from his tenderness. Our first time wasn't perfect, but our movements were like reaching out and tasting a bit of heaven. Ultimately, we decided to not have intercourse yet; Troy didn't want to pressure me to do 'everything tonight', as he put it, and that statement alone eased most of our nervousness. Once his mouth and hands explored and worshipped my body and caused me to come undone, I reciprocated the favor. The pulse thrumming underneath his skin, his sounds of encouragement, and the way his hands clenched in the sheets, guided me. The expression 'I saw stars' seemed to be an understatement. Rather, it was like a burst of fireworks, a brilliant display of light dancing behind the eyelids... it was nothing I'd ever felt before in my life. Making love was extraordinarily beautiful, something that I would cherish forever. Troy and I were physically compatible. It was proven that we fit together in ways more than one.

I was no longer running scared. I dove headfirst into the unknown, and came out stronger in the end. I felt complete, at last. Troy was my missing puzzle piece.

* * *

_Jim placed the squirming child on my chest while Troy and I marveled at our creation. I glanced up at Troy and saw he looked like a proud parent._

_"Congratulations, Gabriella and Troy. Meet your son." Jim said, almost seeming to cry himself as he smiled at us._

_Jim then cut the umbilical cord, cleaned up our baby boy and weighed him – a healthy eight pounds and ten ounces!_

_Once he was back in my arms, I scooted over to let Troy sit beside me on the bed, and Jim left the room to give us a private moment to bond._

_"Look, Troy," I said, gazing into the little eyes of the newborn. "He's like a spitting image of you."_

_Troy cooed and chuckled as our son wrapped his fist around Troy's finger. "But he has your eyes, hon."_

_His voice was so full of emotion that I nearly burst into tears._

_"Welcome into the world, Nathaniel." He murmured, and I gasped, staring up at my husband with tears in my eyes._

_"That was my father's real name…" I whispered in amazement. "Everybody just referred to his middle name, Greg…" I couldn't finish the sentence as my words caught in my mouth._

_"I know." Troy repeated, smiling and softly kissing my forehead. "That's why I wanted to keep it a secret for so long."_

_"Troy."_

_"Yes?"_

_I shook my head, giggling. "No, babe. I meant it should be Nathaniel Troy Cameron. He's a part of you and me, after all."_

_"It's perfect." Troy agreed, wrapping one arm around me and pulling me close. "You're so beautiful."_

_We lied there just gazing in wonder and awe at Nathaniel when all of a sudden, a fierce, bewildering pain gripped my womb like an angry fist. I couldn't scream this time; I bit my lip so hard that I could taste blood. I had forgotten about giving birth to the other twin until I felt liquid trickle down my thighs. Something was definitely wrong._

_Troy called Jim to come back into the room immediately, and I writhed the bed, thrashing from inside the center of my body that moved me. I groaned as the pain subsided, feeling drops of perspiration glaze my forehead._

_"What's wrong, Troy?" I slumped back against the pillow. I could barely keep my eyes open._

_"The placenta detached. Your baby is dying." An all-too-familiar voice alerted my senses that it wasn't Jim. Instead, my worst nightmare in the flesh entered the room, the person's eyes a crimson red._

_The sight of Riley Peterson caused me to hyperventilate, shrinking back and folding my arms over my bare abdomen._

_"No, please don't hurt me!" I screamed, my throat aching. "Get away from me!" This can't be happening. Please don't let this be real! The pain increased as Riley hovered over me, an evil smile on his face._

"Gabriella!"_ Another voice reached my mind, and I clung to the last memory that I would have of Troy and our son. Everything started to spin as more blood trickled between my thighs and my little girl's struggles grew feeble. She was suffocating and there was nothing I could do to protect myself and her. I closed my eyes, wanting to escape from this horrific ordeal..._

* * *

Once I opened my eyes, I found myself in the arms of someone familiar. A rush of air entered my starved lungs, and I swallowed hard, glancing around the room. The dream was so vivid. I dreamed that I gave birth to twins. Still, realization threw me in for a loop, and I began to sob. When was I ever going to stop acting like this was a freakin' soap opera?

"Oh, Troy, I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Shh, Gabi. Breathe. I'm right here. You must've had a nightmare, huh?" Troy guessed and I nodded. "You were asleep for five hours. I was worried that our love making sent you into a coma."

However, I didn't respond to his joke and was still confused; I lifted the sheets to look down at myself. My stomach held no signs of bearing a child.

Troy sat up and looked at me curiously. "Um, Brie, what are you doing?"

I bit my lip and sighed. "E-everything felt so real, Troy." I muttered.

"What do you mean?" Overcome with sympathy, he wrapped me in his arms and held me close to his bare chest.

I hesitated. "I dreamed that I was pregnant with your children. When I finally gave birth, Riley showed up and started to hurt me."

His eyes brimmed with un-shed tears. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you up earlier."

I nodded, understanding his concern. "It's fine. I guess vampire venom can't heal every scar."

My love tilted his head to the side as he stared at me with wide eyes. It was time that he knew the extent of the damage. "Troy, the assault happened on May first. Maria dropped me off at Riley's house so she could run some errands. Consequently, his parents were out of town, and she trusted us to not to do anything stupid." I said bitterly. "We were alone in his bedroom, and he convinced me to play Truth or Dare. H-he wanted me to take off my clothes..." I averted my gaze from Troy's face to his arms, afraid of seeing his expression and bursting into tears again.

In brutal, graphic detail, I told him what had happened. Throughout the explanation, my voice didn't falter; he continued to listen intently. "Since he couldn't get an e-erection, R-Riley had a glass bottle, and he used it for... penetration... h-he only did it twice and then he threw me out with my clothes. I had to clean and dress myself in the bathroom. _Oh, __God!"_ I buried my face in Troy's chest, violently trembling from the sobs that tore through my body.

"Excuse me for a moment, Gabriella." Troy's jaw clenched and he swallowed convulsively. He gently removed himself from my hold and rushed into the adjacent bathroom.

"Troy?!" I followed him and found him emptying the blood from his stomach, retching and sobbing. "Babe, what's wrong?" I panicked. I'd never heard or seen vampires react like this.

Troy dry-heaved as he leaned over the toilet. "I-I'm sorry. I couldn't control myself... that bastard needs to die!" He spoke vehemently as I wiped blood from his face with a towel.

Now it was my turn to comfort my mate. He looked so vulnerable in this state, wanting to protect me from harm, making me feel cherished, all the while trying to keep himself together for my sake. "Troy, it's not your fault. You weren't there -"

"But I should've ripped off his head while I had the chance!" He roared, stunning me into silence.

I mustered up the courage to fiercely stare him straight in the eyes. "It wouldn't matter if you tried to stop me. I have to do what I should've done a long time ago."

"What are you talking about, Gabriella?" He said bluntly; he was still upset about the unsettling news.

I laughed without humor, feeling my heart quicken with anticipation. "As soon as I'm a vampire, Riley's life needs to end. Nothing that you say will change my mind. I swear as soon as he takes his last breath, then you're allowed to punish me however you'd think I deserve."

Troy placed his hand on top of mine, his eyes darker than usual. His gaze was resolved and determined. "Would you let me help you seek revenge?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I felt entirely satisfied at my answer, and we kissed. I had this murderous intent on torturing Riley, but if this was the only way I could move on from his crime, then so be it. I would, in every aspect, be a terrifying monster, but my reasoning was justified.

"If I show you a memory, you won't get sick on me again, will you?" I asked. I'd finally finished siphoning up the blood from the toilet and the floor. "It looked like a crime scene in here."

Troy laughed in spite of himself, seeming to feel slightly better. "I'll do my best not to projectile blood on you." He glanced down at me, and surprisingly, I didn't feel self-conscious being naked in front of him.

"Are you ready?" I asked. Wordlessly, he nodded soberly.

* * *

**Troy's POV**  
In one particular memory of her past, we stood in the corner of a tiny hospital room. A doctor and a nurse surrounded a younger Gabriella on the gurney. Suddenly, she thrashed around while the male doctor began a pelvic exam, and I felt disgusted that the nurse wasn't doing anything to calm down the patient. Beside me, my wife cringed as she watched herself being restrained by the nurse.

"No, please, stop it!" I heard the screams and before I could stop myself, I was over by the bed. "Gabriella, baby, it's okay." I pleaded, wanting to comfort her somehow. Unfortunately, we were in a memory, and Gabriella and I were nothing more than ghosts or spectators on the sidelines. To my horror, the doctor roughly pushed the seventeen year old's knees apart and growled, 'be quiet, it doesn't hurt that much.'

Instantly, rage coursed through my veins like spiked adrenaline, and I swung my fist at the doctor's jaw, intending to smash the teeth out of his mouth and sever his brain stem. I didn't do any damage, though; it was as if I punched through air, so I looked on, feeling my heart break as the nurse gave the girl a sedative. Gabriella's screams quieted until she barely whimpered, ultimately forced to relax. Her bloodshot eyes were wide open, but she wasn't able to protest or struggle. The drug rendered her unable to move.

Then, it clicked. "They gave you Versed?!" My vision tainted with crimson red, I thrust my hands through my hair in frustration. Since we'd met, I've remembered some strange things about Gabriella. The anxiety attacks, mood swings, irregular heartbeat, trembling - the symptoms all added up to the medicine's dangerous side effects. _You're an idiot, Cameron-Bolton!_ I berated myself. _You're the one who's been through medical school twice._ I pound my fists together and the loud sound echoed throughout the room. I should've figured it out sooner.

Standing in the corner, Gabriella nodded sadly. "When the sedative wore off, I remembered everything about the exam. I told that damn nurse I knew what they've done, and she'd laughed and said I was crazy; that none of it happened. Sometimes, I'm afraid of losing the memories I've shared with you. I don't want to forget you."

I walked over to her, feeling my eyes prick with tears. "You won't lose me. I'm here with you, Gabriella, and when I say forever, I mean I'll stand by you for the rest of our existence." I vowed one day I'd make things right. No matter what happened.


	7. With Love

_"Cause every time I'm slipping away from myself,_  
_You're the one that moves me like nobody else_  
_Cause when I'm down and I'm done,_  
_And I'm coming unplugged_  
_When I'm ready to fall_  
_You're the one always holding me up_  
_With love."_

**\- With Love** by Christina Grimmie

* * *

**Gabriella's POV  
**Suddenly, we were out of the memory, and we stared at each other for a long moment. Troy opened his mouth to speak, but I put my finger on his lips. "Shh, Troy you don't have to say anything. I'm a lot better at keeping it to myself."

He glanced down at my finger and I pulled away. "But I want to help you through this. We're in this together."

I snapped. "You can think that I'm a charity case, so go ahead and blab it to the whole world!"

"Gabriella, I never even –"

"Just shut up!" I screamed, feeling more tears rush down my face. "You're the only one who knows this side of me – the side that I'd never meant for you to see in the first place. I was doing fine on my own until you showed up."

I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't. The words stung like acid on my tongue even as I said them. "And then you and your family had to screw up everything. I told myself I couldn't trust anybody after what happened to me – no, after what _he_ did to me – I want to kill him!" My voice raised an octave as I shrieked at Troy. "I want to crush every bone in his body; I want to hear him scream in pain as I plunge my hand into his chest and rip out his heart!"

I bit my lip, hesitating. "Sometimes the feeling is so overwhelming. I'm afraid if I act upon such murderous notions, that I won't be able to stop myself." I swallowed hard, not wanting to look into Troy's eyes and instead focused on the carpet on the floor. "Why do I feel like this? What is wrong with me?"

Troy carefully stepped over to me, gauging my reaction in case I snapped at him again. When he reached me, he placed his hand on my shoulders. "Gabriella," he quietly demanded. I refused to look at his face. His hands clenched slightly and I grimaced. "Gabriella, look at me." He spoke louder in an authoritative voice. I couldn't resist him now; I had to know what he'd felt.

Lifting my gaze, our eyes connected and the muscles in his jaw tightened. "There is no one else in the world I'd rather be with. You are right. I can't fully understand your pain. There are only so many limits to my gift, and I consider it a curse at times. I'll never forget that one torturous memory. In my entire existence, I hadn't come across anything that was remotely similar to yours."

He paused and licked his lips. He sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes filling with tears. "Gabriella, you must understand that I'm a monster. I've killed thousands of people; snatched the lives away from innocent children and their families. I even murdered an entire town." His voice cracked with the ancient sadness of past sins. "I-I remember looking into this little boy's eyes, and he stared up at me with such fear. He begged for me to let him tend to his mother and older sister. I knew that they were already dead from the blood loss, but he kept pleading with me to let him go."

Troy sighed shakily as a sob tore through his body. "I silenced his cries and snapped his neck. The human part of me was dormant; I fought back every ounce of humanity that's within me. I am a predator, and I'm so selfish that I want to grovel on my knees and beg for your forgiveness. But I don't deserve your apology. I don't deserve you. I'm not good for you."

At that moment, I was entirely too upset with him to consider the consequences of my actions. Raising my hand, I punched him with all the power I could force out of my fist. There was a loud crunching sound, but I didn't notice the pain at first. I was far too gone to realize what had happened. The rage boiled in my blood. "Troy Alexander Cameron-Bolton, you listen to me!" I grabbed his face in both hands so he would look me in the eyes. "It doesn't matter to me what you've done. You can't change the past, no matter how much you wish you could. You have a twisted sense of self-preservation. You are far too good for me. It is _I_ that doesn't deserve your love.

Since I was in third grade, I was bullied me and told that I wasn't going to amount up to anyone's expectations. My father was proud of me for being interested in school, but my mother was entirely different. Every chance she got, she'd tell me that I wasn't going to graduate, and that I'd never be worthy of anyone's love."

I pushed the physical pain to the back corners of my mind to deal with later. Now was not the time. As I revealed more of my dark secrets, Troy continued to listen. "When we moved to Albuquerque, my mom pressured me to date Riley. Apparently, he could manipulate anyone's impression of him. Since our first meeting, I can't forget him staring at me – he wouldn't look away. I told my mom he made me feel uncomfortable, but she didn't believe me and just laughed.

A week after the rape, I went to the hospital because the pain was excruciating and it hurt to move. I couldn't stop the bleeding either; I'd soaked through a pad every two hours. At school, the teachers questioned why I'd have to rush to the bathroom in the middle of a lecture, but I insisted it was an emergency. At the hospital, the male doctor advised that I have a pelvic exam. That's when things started going downhill. You saw the nurse restrain me while I relived the assault through several flashbacks. I'd thrashed around until she gave me the drug, and I blacked out. As I woke up some time later in the recovery room, I remembered everything about the procedure. The nurse entered the room and told me the results of the test."

I finally broke down and collapsed in Troy's arms, and he gently held me while I sobbed. "The lacerations were so deep that the internal stitches couldn't repair the damage of the scar tissue. She said I wasn't able to have children."

"Oh, Gabi…" Troy cried, wanting to comfort me in some way.

But even words couldn't take back what was stolen from me. Riley took everything. Since I was a little girl, I've dreamed I'd be with someone and settle in a house with a white picket fence. I imagined we'd be the ideal, happy family, and selfishly believed that love was all we'd need to survive. But plans changed, and people changed. Suddenly, I recognized the fault in my thinking. True love couldn't save me from my personal hell… but I'd go through it all with an angel by my side.

Once the sobs started to subside, my brain finally registered the horrible pain in my hand, and I screamed. There wasn't a doctor available at _The Jefferson Inn_, and I really didn't want to go to the urgent clinic. The only one who had two medical degrees was my own husband, so he took it upon himself to examine the injury.

"Gabriella, you shouldn't have hit me." Troy said sternly.

I flinched as his cold fingers traced along my swollen, bruised knuckles. "Well, I'm sorry that I was being so damn emotional!"

Troy's eyes flickered up to meet mine, ignoring my last comment. "There's bruising along the metacarpal bones, but I think it's just a sprain. I'm going to get the first aid kit." I should've known Emily packed a first aid kit for our honeymoon. He got up from my side and hurried over to his suitcase and flitted back in front of me, lifting the lid and pulling out a bandage and a wrist splint.

"This should help stabilize your wrist for now." Very carefully, making sure not to cause me any more pain, he wrapped my wrist in the bandage and then secured the splint. Leaning down, he placed an icy kiss on my hand.

"My Gabriella is so fragile. One of these days you won't be as breakable." Troy whispered as he gazed up at me. "I promise."

* * *

**January 3, 2008**  
I nervously twisted the ring around my finger and chewed on my lower lip. The stars sparkled in the night sky, but even the darkness couldn't squelch my fears of the transformation. We had a wonderful honeymoon together; the day after I punched Troy, he taught me the basics on how to ski down the slopes. I'd fallen a lot, but it was one of the most fun times I'd had. Then, we went into town and shopped at a few stores, grabbing a bite to eat before we returned to _The Jefferson Inn_ and had a relaxing moment in the hot tub. Nothing too raunchy happened while we were there; we explored each other's bodies and talked about what we liked.

Troy made New Years absolutely magical, though. As everyone gathered to watch the firework display at the lodge, we found a secluded place on top of a hill. It wasn't terribly cold outside, so we made love as the light dusting of snow brushed our naked bodies. Then, we had shared a deep kiss as fireworks exploded above us, signaling the start of 2008. I'd never forget those thirteen days being with him. Inevitably, though, our honeymoon had to end. Troy and I had to go back home so our family could prepare for my change as a vampire.

It wasn't normal for a teenage couple to settle down, nor were the thoughts of marriage supposed to be said whilst dating for only four months. After Riley tore me apart, I'd never expected myself to completely and unconditionally love someone.

Riley claimed he had some form of a justification, and all I had were the things that provoked him. The hidden scars woven underneath my skin left me with a battered soul. Somehow, I was permanently inked with a tattoo I didn't ask for. Like smoldering ash, a certain memory lingered in my mind: I remembered I wore those cut-off denim shorts and a ruched top the day I was attacked. I couldn't wear that outfit anymore without feeling dirty and remembering the rape. Later, I had stuffed the clothes into a burn barrel and watched the flames destroy the evidence. Afterwards, I proceeded to scrub my skin raw and curled into myself on the shower floor; I'd wished the scalding hot water could remove every trace of his hands on my body. Back then, my appetite had faded. Every time I saw Riley, my stomach clenched into a painful knot. I had to force myself to eat and try to ignore the stabbing pain in my chest.

Now, it was time that I loved myself and who I am; to pick myself off the ground and wipe the dirt off my face. At the end of the day, I was the only one who would believe me. Even when I've been knocked down and backed against the wall, I knew there was an ounce of me worth fighting for. And for that, I thank the ones who've been there for me from the start. Troy, Emily, Tyler, Melinda, and Jim. Without their support, I would've been dead. Perhaps not physically, as I've always been too scared to end my own life, but I'd merely just exist, only taking the necessary precautions to stay alive.

I still had trouble with recurring nightmares. Waking up in a cold sweat wasn't as awful with Troy there to comfort me. Every day, I sought the freedom I longed for during the remains of a life long fight. And with each sunset, I was gaining strides along my journey to recovery.

The drive back home allowed us time to dwell on our own thoughts. Troy traced his thumb along the inside of my palm to let me know the silence wasn't uncomfortable. The dark green web passed by us in a blur, and I wasn't scared of the speed anymore. I trusted him, even if his driving habits pushed me out of my comfort zone. In these quiet moments, I'd rather not think about the future; I wanted to live in the moment right here, and right now. Right now, I was more than content to be by Troy's side and allow my worries to float away.

As I heard the soothing sound of Troy humming our song, I dozed. As soon as I was placed on the bed in our bedroom, I opened my eyes. Troy leaned down and pulled the covers up to my chin, his lips lingered on my forehead for a longer moment. The fairy lights hung above the canopy bed gave a soft, romantic glow.

"Goodnight, Gabriella." He said, traveling his kiss along the side of my face over to my left ear.

The soft caress tickled, and I giggled quietly. "I love you, Troy." I felt the bed shift ever so slightly as he climbed in beside me. Immediately, I sought out the familiar touch of his silky skin, and rested my head on his chest. Usually, if I listened closely, I'd hear his faint, slow heartbeat. However, recently, I'd been able to hear it more clearly, as well as sometimes detect a spike of temperature in his otherwise cold skin.

I've always known I didn't want to live without him, since a life without Troy didn't seem to make sense. While we lied there in each other's arms, I recognized the sincere love shared during this private moment between us. For the first time in a long time, I finally felt at peace with myself. I was ready to close this chapter in our story and start a new beginning.

I looked up at my husband, memorizing every feature of his face and body. Troy gazed down at me with the same intensity, trying to analyze my intentions. Slowly, I slid one hand down his chest and rested it at the top of his boxers.

"Brie, aren't you tired?" A hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips. His heady scent made me feel unsteady.

At first, I couldn't speak, for I was afraid of betraying my true emotions. He gave himself to me, and I wanted to share every part of myself. "Troy… I'm ready."

His eyes darkened considerably and he licked his lips. Troy either had his mind in the gutter, or he finally realized I wanted him to drink my blood. Blood sharing was the ultimate act of trust in a vampire's eyes. I had to tell him or my resolve would slip. I didn't notice he couldn't resist touching me until his fingers started to play with the waistband of my panties. I swallowed a moan and reluctantly pulled away, and my body protested from the loss of contact. Troy's expression changed; he was now confused and hurt.

"No, no, Troy. I'm sorry, that's not what I meant, but… I have something better we could do." I lowered my voice in order to sound alluring and to figure out just how much lust he felt.

In a quick movement, I was on my back with Troy hovered over me. He leaned down to place a kiss above my collarbone, mumbling. "Did you decide yet?"

I struggled to form my words. "I know what I'm asking is dangerous and will test your willpower, but, I want to give you my blood." I wasn't expecting his reaction. He didn't freeze or pull away this time; in fact, he was encouraged to continue his actions. He parted his lips and lightly grazed his teeth across my skin, teasing me.

Troy looked up and grinned. "I must confess that on recent terms, I don't feel the overwhelming need to kill you for your blood. However, the very essence of your scent is so intoxicating." His voice caused some parts of me to tingle in anticipation. "Since the day we've met, I've wanted to drink from you, but that would make me a monster and not a gentleman."

I giggled nervously at his statement, and Troy gave me a wry smile. "I want to share this with you, Troy," I whispered, "because, to be honest, nothing would make me happier than to know you're enjoying yourself. I trust you, and you need to have some faith in yourself."

Troy smiled and gave me a tender, sweet kiss. He rested his forehead against mine as we gazed at each other. Slowly, he leaned down to press his lips to my neck, but I stopped him. He silently questioned me, but I stared at him shyly as I pushed the bed sheets lower to my waist. "Don't do it there." _How cliche of you to go there, Troy,_ I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Why not?" He asked, chuckling.

I felt a surge of confidence and laughed softly, lifting my shirt over my head to expose my breasts. "I want you to bite me here."

Troy's pupils dilated. He licked his lips again and he glanced down at me. "Are you sure?"

"More than ever." I replied, and without further hesitation, his fangs sank into the swell of my left breast, and I cried out from the brief flare of pain. It quickly faded, replaced by a wonderful joy that spread through my entire body. Pure bliss singed in my veins from the top of my head to the end of my toes. I was glowing in the pleasure and ecstasy. Now I knew I'd never have to resort to getting high from drugs; no amount of cocaine could compare to the surge of adrenaline that flooded my senses from being this intimate with Troy.

As he drank, his grip tightened around me, but at this point I didn't care. The chemicals in Troy's saliva triggered an endorphin rush, and I lost track of the world, of who I was. Nothing had ever felt so amazing, so right, and so real. It was surprisingly erotic, and I found that this might be as good as sex. I pressed my pelvis into Troy's groin, craving more pleasure. I felt the pressure of his length extended against me along the juncture between my hips and thighs, and he responded with a strained groan as he began to grind. The delicious friction of our movements caused a series of quiet moans to escape my lips.

Several seconds passed, and my mind warned me that he needed to stop, but I didn't want this to end. In the midst of his lapping and sucking at my breast, Troy reached down to slip his free hand underneath my panties and dip his fingers into me. My back arched on impulse and my vision slightly blurred from the blood loss. He licked one last time to seal the wound with his venom, but he continued to thrust, gradually building speed.

"Just tear them off, Wildcat!" I whined, and heard him rip my panties into shreds. I parted my legs wider to grant him better access, and he throatily groaned at the smell of my arousal. I knew that sound all too well. Troy was as close as I was to release. The tension coiled in my lower stomach, and I rotated my hips upwards to meet his thrusts. His fingers curled inside me, and my muscles frantically contracted around him.

"Listen to me, Mrs. Gabriella Cameron. You are loved and you mean everything to me." Troy nipped the area surrounding my navel, soothing the twinge of pain with his tongue. "Doesn't this feel good? I want to make you feel cherished, Brie. You can do this." He said encouragingly.

Our eyes connected once more, and he whispered, "Let go, baby."

He rarely used such modern pet names, but his affectionate term of endearment caused a surge of heat. I almost screamed into his shoulder; as his orgasm set off my own, I writhed underneath him and white dots scattered across my vision. Troy muttered unintelligible words of unconditional love as his body trembled; the vibrations released another burst of pleasure. My toes curled painfully and my nails dug into his back, but he didn't complain.

As the flood of oxytocin and dopamine relieved the ache from the bite, Troy rolled off of me to the side and smoothed back the hair from my face. Both of us were panting, and my sweaty body cooled down from the temperature of his skin. Suddenly, we looked at each other and grinned.

The first thing that came out of my mouth was, "That was awesome!" I giggled, partly embarrassed from my loud moans and partly because there was still so much excitement within me.

Troy peppered kisses all over my face and fervently expressed his gratitude. "You're amazing, Gabriella."

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes at his words. "I'm your's, Troy, you know that. And you're mine." I shifted in his arms to become more comfortable. Finally, I was aware the bedsheets were damp, not only from perspiration, but also bodily fluids and a few drops of blood.

"Um, Troy? I think we ruined the sheets." I said sheepishly.

Troy laughed ruefully. "Don't worry about it. Let's get cleaned up a bit." He slipped off his boxers and tossed them in the laundry basket by the door. Then, he stood and faced me. "Want to conserve some water and take a quick shower together?"

I gazed appreciatively at his body, and said, "I like how you think, Mr. Cameron." We walked to the adjacent bathroom and stepped into the shower. Once we finished, Troy turned off the water and we towel-dried ourselves. I wasn't too disturbed by the thought of sleeping in wet sheets. When I had lived with my mom, I'd swept the floors, dust, wash dishes, and clean for a while; if only to keep myseslf busy so I wouldn't dwell on dark thoughts. On school nights, it wasn't unusual I didn't get the laundry done before my mom returned from work, and by that time, she'd yell at me and then lock herself in her room for the rest of the evening. Thus, I'd spend another night in bed, too exhausted to complain about the state of my crappy mattress or old pillowcase.

When we reached our bedroom, I was pleasantly surprised to see clean, white bedding. Melinda must have snuck in while we were in the shower and replaced the soiled sheets with new ones. Troy and I climbed underneath the covers, and instantly soothed with warmth from the electric blanket. As I snuggled closer into Troy's embrace, I understood love truly didn't have boundaries.


	8. Powerful

_**Next To You Chapter 8 - Powerful**_

* * *

_"I used to be a flower_

_On the wall in the back row_

_Never was a homecoming queen_

_Just a shadow_

_Now I got crown cause you gave it to me_

_Cleopatra strong, yeah you found it in me_

_Throwing all the pages of the past_

_Out the window_

_When you tell me that I'm beautiful_

_I feel it, I breathe it, believe it_

_Got me feeling indestructable_

_I love it, I scream it."_

– **Power** by Kat Graham

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, my arms were not wrapped around my lover as usual. Instead, I was holding his pillow, and though his scent calmed me, I was disappointed that his presence wouldn't greet me good morning today. I slowly sat up and patted the empty space beside me, finding a note that was written in Troy's handwriting.

* * *

_Good morning, sweetheart. I apologize for not being able to wake you up, but while you slept, Tyler needed to hunt. Last night was incredible. Thank you for sharing the very essence of yourself with me. I didn't want to leave you, but Jim said it'd be best if I went with Tyler. I need to gain as much self-control as possible to be able to change you. We'll be back later. Emily and Melinda are home to keep you company._

_P.S. I left you a present at the end of the bed. Oh, and there's a glass of orange juice on the table for you to help with the dizziness. Always yours, Wildcat.  
_

* * *

After I finished reading the romantic note, I saw a plush, stuffed mountain lion near the footboard. Knowing it was a reminder of Troy, my heart swelled and I felt my smile widen. It didn't matter to me if people thought it was childish for me to carry that toy around with me everywhere. It'd be second best to cuddling with my husband for today. I gingerly reached over and downed the orange juice in three gulps. After I got dressed in red velour pants, I lifted my arms to pull on the matching shirt. It was easier said than done. Since yesterday, I didn't bother wearing a bra; I realized a bruise had bloomed around the healed scar on the swell of my breast. As I pushed myself through the pain, I tugged the top over my head and smoothed out the creases in the fabric. I wondered why my breasts ached terribly, but I decided not to worry too much about it. The bruise was the least of my worries, especially when I felt fatigued. Note to self: don't seduce your husband if you want to sleep in. Nevertheless, I didn't regret last night's activities. Somehow, the act of Blood Sharing made me feel even more emotionally and physically closer to Troy. It was easier to hone in on my instincts and seek his whereabouts with my mind. I'd recieve reassurance, and Troy would confirm that yes, he didn't want to stray too far from me, even to hunt.

I'd assumed Troy was probably over-enthusiastic and got carried away. Perhaps his fangs ripped deeper into the tissues than I'd thought. But I couldn't let myself over-analyze every possibility. Today could be my last day as a human, and I wanted it to be memorable.

The winter season in Albuquerque was tolerable compared to New York's chilly weather. I jogged downstairs and figured a long walk would be nice instead of being cooped up in the house all day. Stepping into the kitchen, I found Melinda reading a book by the island.

She looked up and smiled warmly at me. "Good morning, Gabriella. How are you feeling?"

I blushed. "I'm good. What book are you reading?"

Melinda set the book on the granite counter top and turned towards me. "Oh, I'm forcing myself to endure a crappy novel by another author. Listen, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. Do you have time?"

I hesitated, afraid if she knew about last night. "Sure. What's up?" I sat down in the chair beside her, wringing my hands together.

"Don't be scared, dear. You're not in trouble." Melinda laughed, seeing the worried look on my face. "I just wanted to be sure you're okay."

I nodded, feeling a rush of gratitude towards the woman I called my second mother. "What do you want to know?"

Melinda gazed at me with concern. "Now, I understand that being intimately involved with your spouse can be overwhelming, and I swear I wasn't eavesdropping… I tried to allow you as much privacy as possible during your activities last night."

I felt the color drain from my face. My hands became clammy. "Yeah?"

She placed a hand over my fumbling fingers. "Calm down, honey. Like I said before, you're not in trouble. Was Troy being particularly aggressive with you?"

"W-why would you say that?" I couldn't help stuttering as I thought, _oh, crap! She knows!_ "He's always gentle with me."

"Well," Melinda began, staring at me seriously. "I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but as Jim, Tyler, Emily and I came back from our hunting trip, the scent of your blood nearly compelled Tyler to attack you then and there."

I gasped, feeling incredibly guilty. "I-I'm sorry! I forgot it was tough for him to abstain from human blood."

Melinda nodded again, understanding my concern. "It's quite alright. You didn't know we were back home so soon. When we restrained Tyler, I was worried that something happened to you while we were gone."

My face blanched. "Troy didn't hurt me. We just… uh… Troy drank my blood."

Just like my worst fear, Melinda opened her mouth, and before she could protest, I stopped her. "No, it's not like that! I wanted him to have a taste and um, well… one thing led to another…" I averted my gaze to my lap, not able to bear seeing her accusing glare.

She surprised me by starting to laugh. I gaped at her, not believing what I was witnessing. "Is this supposed to be funny?" My tone sounded harsher than I intended.

Melinda quieted down and put a hand over her chest. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh at you. I'm just appalled at how this situation turned out to be nothing. After all, I should be the one who's morbidly embarrassed that I jumped to conclusions. Blood sharing is the ultimate act of trust, and I'm glad you and Troy trust each other so implicitly. You already know everyone considers you a part of the family, and I consider you to be one of my daughters. I just wanted to know that you were safe."

I smiled reassuringly. "Thanks, Melinda. I've never been better. Troy takes good care of me."

"That's good to hear, Gabriella. Well, I think this conversation is done." Melinda said, and I went to stand up, but I was distracted with the sudden revelation that came to me. Immediately, I remembered the project I worked on with Troy for Ms. Darbus's class.

Troy had told me the history of his birth parents in response to a question I'd asked him...

_"My birth parents were wonderful people. My father, Jack Cameron, was a lawyer in the state of Ohio. I was an only child in the family. My mother, Lucille Elizabeth, stayed at home and attended to the duties of being a loving wife. Whenever I'd come home from school, she'd ask me about my day and she made the best brownies ever. They were made from scratch, not the kind that you'd get in a box at the grocery store." He looked at me and laughed quietly, as if remembering a private joke._

_Troy had paused and licked his lips before continuing. "Anyway, I guess I'd took her kindness for granted. It's tough realizing you'd pushed away the people you love. Occasionally, I'd forget I'm not in Ohio and that it's not 1934 anymore. I'd run downstairs to ask my father if we could go to that same fishing spot by the creek after work… and instead of finding Jack in his office, I'd see Jim." He added, reaching over to take my hand. "I have to remind myself that they're gone forever…"_

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you meet Jim?" I asked.

Melinda's eyes took on a sad, withered look, as if the conversation suddenly aged her. "When I turned twenty-five, I married a man named Sam Lucas. We were so in love, and at the time, my whole world revolved around him and his happiness. That all changed after two months of marriage. He became bitter and often spoke cruel words to me. It was as if he was a completely different person. I was frightened, but I kept quiet about his abuse to others. He was known as a respectable person, and in his eyes, I was merely a child." Her expression changed, and her eyes lit up with a kind of fire that intimidated me. But then her gaze softened and her voice cracked with emotion. "He drank to an excess and blamed me for his problems. One night, a year later, he took his abuse to a whole new level. We were arguing at the top of the stairs, and he… he said horrible things…"

I waited anxiously as she collected her thoughts, and then prodded her gently. "What happened?"

"At the time, I was recovering from giving birth to my first child, Aidan. My Aidan's life abruptly ended; after only being a week old, he succumbed to what's now known as SIDs. Sam had his own method of 'grieving' - wash away the pain with another bottle of whiskey. At the top of the stairs, he grabbed me, and I tried to struggle, but Sam was too strong and shoved me down the stairs. I remember my head collided with the wall. Next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital morgue, seeing the familiar doctor who had fixed my broken arm when I was in early adolescence." Melinda spoke softly, a hint of a sad smile gracing her lips.

"James said my heart was failing – even though I somehow managed to survive for so long – and that he couldn't bear living without me. I'd finally realized that it was him who I truly loved, the man who was gentle yet mysterious. Then, he bit me, and after the transformation, we married a few months later. We've been together since 1901."

"Wow." I breathed, barely able to allow her words to sink in. "Did Sam get away with his crime?"

Melinda tilted her head to the side. "Oh, no. I told the police and they found him shortly after my confession. He was sentenced to three years in prison for attempted murder and domestic abuse. Later, I'd heard that Sam was sent to a psychiatric hospital after trying to commit suicide twice. He finally succeeded in his last attempt."

I sat there frozen, staring at her for a long moment, trying to remember to breathe. _Deep breaths, Gabriella._ I reminded myself. "I'm sorry if this is too painful for you..."

"It's alright, dear. It stopped being painful a long time ago." Melinda sighed and then was back to her compassionate self. "Is there anything else that's troubling you?"

I hesitated and chewed on my lower lip. "I'm nervous about the change. I mean, I know it'll be painful, but…"

"I'm sure Jim will do all that he can to make you comfortable, and Troy loves you very much." Melinda patted my knee.

"I've done some research a while ago, and if they give me morphine, wouldn't it basically paralyze me until the venom makes it ineffective?" I wondered aloud.

Melinda considered it for a few seconds. "That's a good question. I'd talk about it with them as soon as they get back."

"Okay, thanks Melinda. I'm going for a walk. I need some fresh air, and I have my cell on me, so I'll call either you or Em if I get lost."

"Alright, stay safe!"

By the time I got out on the worn path of the meadow, I felt the cool breeze and sighed happily. A walk alone was just what I needed to think about my life before becoming a vampire. Once, I reached the end of the tree line, I heard the bushes rustle nearby. Alert and on edge, I stepped back slowly. "Who's there?"

The person revealed their identity, and all of the air rushed out of my lungs. Riley's gunmetal blue eyes pierced through me in a cold gaze. The twisted smirk on his face sent my heart pounding against my chest; I was afraid it would grate against my sternum.

"Why are you here, Riley?" I tried to keep my voice level, but my trembling betrayed my faux confidence.

Riley stepped closer, chuckling darkly. "I came to take back what was rightfully mine." He was in front of me in a flash. _Shit! Troy, if you can hear me, I'm one mile away from the house, west along the tree line. Riley's back and he's a vampire! _

"Wait!" I quickly scanned the tree line for a sign of Troy. I needed to stall. "Who changed you?"

His eyes glinted with interest at the sudden question. "Ah, a pathetic human like you noticed. For a second, I forgot that you live with the Boltons, but then again, I can smell their scent all over you." He sneered. "It does not matter who created me, as I simply don't remember. But once I awoke to this new life, I knew that nothing could stop me from having you for myself.

"So… we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"No!" I screamed, the panic took over and I spun around to make a run for it. Riley grabbed my arm and twisted my wrist. I heard the sickening snap as my bones crushed underneath his grip. Tears streaked down my face as I refused to make a sound.

"Actually, I think we're going to have some more fun now." Riley said pleasantly. I froze at his words. This was it. I was going to suffer at the hands of this bastard.

"Screw you!" I spat. Riley growled; he threw me to the ground and stomped on my chest. I screamed in horror, and realized I couldn't fight back. The blow to my sternum pierced my lungs and I'd suffocate. My heartbeat faltered, and my vision tunneled; Riley's dark form loomed above me as his black eyes burned with malicious intent.

Before my consciousness ebbed and darkness consumed me, I heard a distinct howl of rage and a figure shove away the attacker. "You're going to die, you ugly mother—"

Then, I was tossed deeper underneath the waves, and my eyes closed.

* * *

**Troy's POV  
**

As everything seemed to be covered in blood, I had to rein in the bloodlust that tainted my vision. Riley harmed my mate, and I'll be damned if I let this son of a bitch get away with it! I threw him into a tree and a feral growl rumbled in my chest.

"What are you going to do now, Peterson? You won't be able to lay another finger on my wife!" Riley's behavior was pathetic: as I grabbed his hand and mangled his bones, he whimpered. Once his fingers were contorted and torn off, I began my next form of torture. A stream of profanity flew from Riley's mouth as I dug my nails into his skin to slash his wrist. The look on his face was priceless; he was scared out of his mind.

Relishing in the fact that I could get through to him, I bit off his arm, piece by piece. His furious mutter of incoherent words only encouraged me to keep going.

"You feel that? You deserve this!" I taunted and dragged my fangs across his jugular to slice his throat open. The fresh wound sent me into a hazed frenzy; I gnawed my way through the main arteries, prolonging Riley's suffering just a bit longer. He had to know the damage he put Gabriella through all along. The bloodlust inside begged me to torment him some more. Immediately, I reached down to his groin; I heard the sound of shredding metal as I castrated him.

His screams of pain cut off as he gurgled, choking on the loss of blood rapidly draining from his wounds. I didn't know how he was still alive; the little bastard just didn't want to die.

Finally, I plunged my hand into his chest. In mere seconds, sinew, bone, and tendons gave way as if I'd submerged my fist into water. Vampire strength can be both a blessing and a curse. I didn't have to palpate inside him for long; I wrenched his heart away from the flimsy confines of arteries and veins, and crushed the failing organ in my hands.

_Well, there goes his chance of being an organ donor. Even his body's not viable for the sake of science anymore. _Riley's body dropped to the ground with a satisfying thud. Disgusted at the sight of him, I turned away and then noticed Emily sobbed over Gabriella. My eyes pricked with a strange sensation like they wanted to tear, and the ache in my heart flared into excruciating pain with a vengeance. It felt like I was dying all over again.

"No!" I cried out and fell to my knees beside Gabriella. My whole world hinged on the sound of her vital signs. Gabriella's pulse was weak and erratic. I needed to do something, and quick.

"Emily, what do I do?" I demanded, watching the life of my love slipping away.

For the first time in years, Emily cursed and her eyes widened in shock. "Shit! Wait, Troy, listen! Do you hear that?"

Even though I was on the verge of a mental breakdown, I leant down and strained to hear anything different. Suddenly, we heard something that sounded like twigs snapping and crackling underneath Gabriella's skin. Struck between awe and horror, I watched as Gabriella's body miraculously healed from the fatal injuries. In the span of seconds, her limbs contorted unnaturally until each bone and muscle knitted together, popped and shifted back into their proper places. Finally, her sunken chest was sharply lifted and repaired, and her heart settled into a calm, steady rhythm. Even my heart was about to lurch in my throat when Gabriella's gasp of air sent me into her arms.

"Troy." She whimpered, and I peppered kisses all over her face - from her eyelids, nose, cheeks, and at last, her lips. My wife clung to me as I held on to her, desperately trying to convey with passion and other frantic emotions through the kiss.

Emily said something, but I couldn't find it in me to pull away yet. Only when I heard quick footsteps approaching did I manage to break the kiss.

Jim, Melinda, and Tyler quickly assessed the situation and noticed the mangled corpse fifty feet away.

I could count on one hand the number of times I witnessed Jim rendered speechless. Another pregnant pause passed and his wide gaze eventually landed on the three of us.

In my entire existence, would there never be another moment where I'm intimidated by the wild look in his eyes. He was always the role model of patience and calm. Jim asked aloud the question everyone was dying to say.

Jim's stare bored into mine. "What the _hell_ happened here?" He demanded.

I opened my mouth to answer, but no sound came out.

Instead, Gabriella's loud gasp beside me alerted me she was still there. "Troy." She froze in my arms. I tensed, and turned to look at her.

I took in the sight of tears rolling down her face and the color drain from her face. Knowing there was only one way for her overwhelmed body to relieve the tension, she pulled away from me and leaned over. Gabriella became violently ill, her stomach trying to empty its contents. While she vomited, I held back her hair. Another few moments of dry-heaving, and then Jim handed her a hankerchief to wipe her mouth. She thanked him quietly, and tried to stand, but her knees gave out. Immediately, I scooped her into my arms.

_Where is he?_ Her thought sent a chill of dread up my spine. Did she spot Riley's body?

My first reaction was to handle the matter delicately, but I knew I shouldn't treat her differently. Just because she got attacked again, didn't mean I had to walk on eggshells around her. For both of our sakes, I had to accept the fact she was stil alive and well, and Riley was no longer a threat.

_He's right where he belongs, rotting in hell_. I replied vehemently. I glanced down to see her reaction, and was relieved she didn't seem worried. In fact, through the bond, she sent me gratitude and awe. She was pleased I avenged her imminent death. Jim interrupted our silent conversation and announced he and Tyler would properly dispose Riley's body, and the rest of us were to go home. He made it clear once Riley was burnt to ashes, we'd discuss the preparations for Gabriella's transformation.

As I carried her back to the house, I noticed Gabriella focused on breathing through her nose and wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked aloud, slightly concerned.

_A few minutes ago, I puked my guts out on the grass. My breath smells horrid, Troy, and there's no way I'm breathing on you and making you faint._ She quipped.

I laughed, picking up speed. "It's a rare occurance for a vampire to faint. I highly doubt something as trivial as..."

Accepting the dare, she shifted and her breath fanned over my face. Naturally, it was a knee-jerk reaction: I gagged and actually stumbled.

Gabriella giggled, partially amused and embarrassed. _Don't say I didn't warn ya._

I smiled, I couldn't stay upset with her for long. _Once we get home, make sure you brush your teeth, and as a reward for not giving me a heart attack, you deserve as many kisses as you want._

Her eyes lit up and she shivered with excitement. _Does that include orgasms, too?_

My mind short-circuited for a long second_. _Oh, how I adored my adventurous wife! _I can certainly pencil that in on my 'to do' list._

_Actually..._ Her voice trailed off, and her infectious smile was mischievious.

_What?_

_Before we go upstairs, we need to stop at the fridge. _She said hesitantly.

I frowned. _Are you hungry? Didn't you eat something for breakfast?_

_Well, yes, but I'm craving something else._

Thankfully, we finally arrived, and I settled her on her feet in front of the fridge in the kitchen. Gabriella peered in, and rocked forward onto the balls of her feet. At five feet and two inches, she didn't need to reach for the nearby shelves, but I found her little quirk adorable. She hummed a random tune, and I was too concentrated on her actions to realize what she stuffed underneath her top.

She closed the door and waited on the first step of the stairs. "Troy, are you coming?"

_Yes, dear_. I grinned, and ignoring her protests, proceeded to carry her to our bedroom.


End file.
